Another pathetic showing!

I know that the last time that i wrote in while still angry after a game (the Fulham loss!) i got a lot of abuse, but i still have to vent my frustration right now. When I saw the team sheet, I was disgusted that we decided to go with a useless central midfield and Hibbert at right back. Apparently Gravesen is too slow... then why have him on the bench at all, Mr Moyes?

The game started scrappily and there was little to choose between the sides (except 12 league table places!). Ridgewell made a couple of mistakes at the back that almost allowed us in but poor finishing denied us the opning goal. McFadden was trying very hard to make us pay for selling him but didn't succeed.

As the half wore on I got more worried and was wondering whether we had it in us to put the game away. Larsson got injured and was replaced by Jerome who looked quick on the right against Baines. His header luckily hit the post with Howard beaten.

The second half started with Birmingham looking more threatening, inspite of having to take off Forssell due to injury at the break. We looked even more sloppy as the half wore on. Vic came on for Pienaar (injured again?) at the hour mark. He did spark the side up a bit initially when he came on but later settled down to play just as bad as the rest.

Brum really laid seige to our goal just after the hour when they had wave after wave of attack with corners and free-kicks to threaten our goal.. their best chance coming when Jaidi forced a great save from Howard and the rebound was reflexly parried away too by Howard (from McFadden!)

Just when i thought that we were going to have a goalless draw, Lescott pops up with a good header to put us ahead. Brum brought on Zarate (lucky he didn't start, actually!). Carsley then proceeded to handle the ball just outside the area in the middle... which Zarate stepped up to whip over the wall and into the net past a helpless Howard.

We were lucky not to lose after that with Neville and Hibbert doing their best to aid Brum's relegation fight. Gravesen came on in the 89th minute (what the hell for at that point???) ...he looked composed and made a great through pass to Hibbert on the right that looked better than any pass I'd seen in the previous 88 minutes for us!!!

So we got a draw when we should've won easily again. Assessment is as follows:

Howard: Brilliant keeping kept us froma nother embarassing loss but his goal kicks were far too flat and long for me...

Hibbert: Did well in the first half but near the end was guilty of giving the ball away needlessly... was better than Neville though.

Jags: Did pretty well I feel with a few blocks and clearences.. poor passing though.

Lescott: one word... Captain!

Baines: Did pretty well I think...

Neville: Is useless in midfield... will Moyes ever learn? More chance of passing wind than the the ball to one of our lads!

Carsley: Had a poor game... why did he raise his hand when he knew he was so close to goal?

Fernandes: Was better than many others to be fair but was not as good as he could be... needs to step up while Mikel is out.

Pienaar: Looked out of sorts for the most part today...

Johnson: His shots on goal were so weak.. think that my 2-year-old nephew could kick the ball harder!

Yakubu: Looked sloppy today... poor ball control.

Anichebe: Didn't do enough for me although it was a bit better after he came on.

Gravesen: Needs to start if Arteta isn't back for the next game... I don't care if he has no legs. Get Nevile/Carsley to push him around in a wheelchair for heaven's sake... its better than what they do in the game anyway!

I think that Moyes has his hands tied with the injuries but he could make better decisions when it comes to his team selection. What can we take as a positive from this game? Maybe the fact that we didn't lose..and Faddy didn't score against us... that's about it i think.

We need both Mikel and Ossie at least back if we are to stand a chance of even getting a point against Chelsea midweek; otherwise the hard work that was done so far this season may come undone... especially if Pompey and Villa continue to play like they are now.

Reader Comments

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Tom Edwards
1   Posted 12/04/2008 at 19:55:00

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Santosh, I was one of those who gave you a lot of stick over your last post match report. I apologise if any of it was too critical. I was also annoyed at the capitulation to Fulham.

Can?t say I disagree with anything you have said regarding this latest crock of shite and I am now very unsure of us securing even 5th place, despite Pompey only drawing too.

Pity the season can?t end now.
Ray Robinson
2   Posted 12/04/2008 at 19:56:23

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Agree Santosh, another poor showing against a team that was there for the taking. I never thought that I’d say this but I thought Hibbert was actually man of the match for Everton - which probably reveals how poorly the rest of them played.

No discernible pattern of play, the season can’t end soon enough for me. I need to recharge my batteries.
Joe McMahon
3   Posted 12/04/2008 at 20:18:05

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Agree with most Santosh, alothough I?m not sure what you are exepcting from Arteta when he comes back, corners that don?t clear the first man? Dreadfull free kicks? No shots on goal?

I agree as for £8.5 million AJ ? he?s just shit.
Santosh Benjamin
4   Posted 12/04/2008 at 20:30:33

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I agree that his dead ball service has been terrible this season..but he still adds a dimension to the midfield that we sorely lack when he is away!
Santosh Benjamin
5   Posted 12/04/2008 at 20:36:43

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No worries,Tom....you were entitled to our opinion.I did over-react after the Fulham game though....
Paul Hardcastle
6   Posted 12/04/2008 at 20:47:42

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I was one who didn?t think you over-reacted, Santosh. Unfortunately, what you saw was what we got for the next four games, despite the bleating of the dreamers who kept saying "Yea, so we lost/drew/dropped points/ played shite etc ? but we?ll start winning again and playing better next game.. blah blah."

Well, sadly we have not shown any sign of this being "just a blip", "a bad day at the office"... Moyes the Great Motivator has clearly failed to motivate the players after the pathetic penalty shoot-out that saw us fail in the Uefa Cup after doing so brilliantly to claw our way back. And all the really bad habbits he allows/encourages (I can?t figure out which it is) from the players are coming home to roost, while he seems to visibly cower at the prospect of putting a team out on the field and getting a result.

It?s as if he?s already decided he?s leaving in the summer....
Eric Holland
7   Posted 12/04/2008 at 20:56:31

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Agree totally Santosh, when the going gets tough
The boys in blue go missing.
Why does Moyes persist with Neville in midfield???
At the Chelsea game we should make a great big banner with "Neville is not a midfielder" could add more than that but best not.
We can only hope teams chasing us falter over the few remaining games, otherwise no Europe for us next season.
I would love to go to Amsterdam again,
But don’t tell the missus!!!
Peter Barnes
8   Posted 12/04/2008 at 21:43:55

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Erm... Phil Neville played at right back today, for the whole game.

The ’Neville is not a midfielder’ debate has nothing to do with today’s game or the performance.

We lack creativity and attacking belief without Cahill and Arteta.

Yakubu is on a run of poor form, and we didn’t take our chances today.
Marc Williams
9   Posted 12/04/2008 at 21:43:13

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The refusal to give Gravesen a start has been annoying me for months but is now really pissing me off !
He gets only 6 mins today but still manages our best cross of the afternoon with his first touch.
Trevor Dean
10   Posted 12/04/2008 at 22:09:50

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"Neville ... more chance of passing wind than the the ball to one of our lads!"

Hmm, those who look at the facts rather than blind irrational prejudice (including I would guess our manager) are aware that for the second game running Neville successfully passed the ball to a teammate more than anyone on else on the team. So let’s be honest that makes you look just a little bit silly doesn’t it?
Nigel Tilley
11   Posted 12/04/2008 at 22:19:42

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Jesus Christ!! You lot make me mad!! We are doing better than we have EVER done in the PL.

Do you think for a minute Phil Neville is the player DM wants in that position?? .. NO!! , he is not!! If DM had the money Phil would be in the Championship ... but for now .... we make do.

Paul Hardcastle ... you should be ashamed!! I will be the first to ridicule you when Moyes gets it straight. An Evertonian!! Screw off .... Jump on the next bandwagon mate. Moyes works magic with what he has. We are having a wonderful season.

Ray Robinson ... I have been re-charging my batteries" since 1968 (My first match at Goodison).... and I NEVER wanted the season to end .... what are you going to do with your summer?

Tom Edwards , "Crock of Shite!!! .... bloody hell, I will not dignify your post with a comment, I disagree and question your right to comment on this club. How F-ing long have YOU been a supporter?? (Damn .. that WAS a comment)

Joe McMahon .. WTF ... Where can you buy a striker like AJ for 8.5 Million now??? ... AJ , was and is ..... a FANTASTIC buy!

Joe McMahon ... Fair comment , keep the faith mate.

Marc Williams ... IMHO ... TG deserves more time too.

Man U drew with Boro ...... it’s an unpredictable league at times .... we are doing VERY well!! COYB!!! we can maintain 5th ..... and maintain it or not i will never call EFC a "Crock Of Shite" .... Goodnight.
James Howat
12   Posted 12/04/2008 at 22:40:01

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Couldnt agree more, we had no creativity today - I would have personally gone with Grav and Cars and Manny in the middle, Nevillle at RB and Lescott at CB with Baines on Left and Pienaar on right with a loan striker - points were order of day today and although we didnt lose we might of well have done. Injuries aside we have not played since home leg v Fiorentina. Could be a blessing in disguise as we would get laughed out the Champs league - Hibbert tries but isnt of the quality we require, Cars is past it now. Just a desperately disappoiniting end to the season. COYB
Steve Carter
13   Posted 12/04/2008 at 23:48:08

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Well looking on the bright side, Pompey didn’t advance on us. (Although, that said, Blackburn aren’t going to do the Shite over are they)
sean condon
14   Posted 12/04/2008 at 23:48:32

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Five dogs in a row. Oohhh...was that ever fucking ugly. Chelsea should be a cinch.
Steve Ryan
15   Posted 13/04/2008 at 00:09:48

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The whole of the midfield clearly needs to be reconstructed. Clearly, Peinnar, Arteta, Osmon and Carsley are too INCONSISTENT to enable us to seriously challenge for silverware and I am sick and tired of people making excuses for them. By the way, why do people think that we are the only team to suffer from injuries?Birmingham lost 2 players yesterday. As bad as Neville’s passing was, I didn’t see Lescott find a man throughout the game with his 60 yard mid air punts. Two players short of the top 4 my arse.....make that 8 and tactically light years away.
Trevor Lynes
16   Posted 13/04/2008 at 00:16:04

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Since the great display against Fiorentina we have looked jaded and the team has suddenly developed injuries and a real lack of creativity. We have relied on Arteta too much and when he is unfit our general play is poor....Obviously, Arteta, Pienar and Osman have not been fully fit for the past few games and the loss of Cahill and vaughan has meant that we are desperately short of players to compete and win games. The goals have almost dried up and we are very reliant on our defence to keep us out of trouble. Both AJ and Yakubu are out of touch and we have no real alternatives. We must invest in some quality players to replace Neville, Hibbert and carsley or at least give more competition for places...we do not have a decent right fullback and its glaringly obvious every week as both Hibbert and Neville continually give the ball away. I just hope that Arteta gets back to full fitness and both Pienar and Fernandez come good.
Our squad is short of numbers to compete in Europe and also do well in the premier. Moyes has done wonders with the present squad...BUT, he needs investment to continue the progress next season and in the coming years.
Ian Wells
17   Posted 13/04/2008 at 00:39:31

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I stayed up til 2 am to watch this load of rubbish. Yes Neville did pass to an Evertonian but usually backwards to Jags 4 yds away who just thumps it straight down. This route 1 stuff is useless as good teams can just clear the ball each time just like Yobo, Jags and Lescott do all day.

No one had a good game last night except Howard who still hoofs it down to far - aerial ping-pong - but at least we have a name for it down under Aussie Rules. Even Lescott made more errors than usual. Everton will never be great while Moyes thinks that tough fighting, tackling hoofing, clearing footballers are the way to go. Look at Jags - saved Everton heaps of time, like Carsley but his passing skills are the same as Neville and Hibbert.

Fernandes showed signs of his class with some good through balls, some 1-2s with people who couldn’t pass back ie Neville, and at least he’ll shoot but I feel for the classy players who must dread having to play alongside Neville, Hibbert and Carsley. The’re too slow, predictable and inaccurate. It’s funny but Hibbert looks so graceful when he’s about to send a long hoof down the ground, nice action, nice poise but takes so long everyone and I mean everyone knows where its going!

Oh well won’t be staying up next week I’ve seen enough for this season but it’ll be interesting to see who actually ends up staying at Everton during the summer. Cheers
Christine Foster
18   Posted 13/04/2008 at 00:46:23

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Its hard to critisize the team when they have performed very well over the course of the season, but it is dissappointing to watch the last few months (from the African Cup time) and the team has lost its touch both creatively and in front of goal. Injusries to Cahill, Arteta, etc haven;t helped but it has shown how paper thin our squad is. Some players just javen’t stepped up to the mark.

I confess though I am at a loss regarding Grav, people say his legs have gone, he has carried a load of injuries, he isn;t the player he was etc.. but right now he looks better than what we have. A lot better. His cameo on Sat was typical of his play. In the games early on in the season he looked every bit as good a player that we needed adn I for one thought the team better balanced when he was there, There is no doubt that a 75% Grav in midfield is better than a 100 % Neville in the same place.

The side look jaded and demorilised after the Floentina defeat and they are hard to watch at the moment because its all so frustrating. The arrogance and dominace we played with for most of this relatively SUCCESSFUL season appears to have evaporated. The rythmm and fluid play, the creative and the clinical finishing have been replaced with hard work and effort and even that dissappears after an hour.

Tighten up the midfield with Grav, put Neville where he doesn’t have to be creative, put a couple of the reserves on the bench...do we have any forwards in the reserves????

Its been a good season, its a shame to see it peiter out.
James McGreevy
19   Posted 13/04/2008 at 02:13:59

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I must say Nigel Tiley that you mustve been great in school bullying your way through the playground picking each person off when they didnt have the same omiscient opinion as yourself...if I were you Id go support Leyton Orient, they could do with a new manager, since your rigth and everyone else isnt entitled to an opinion you prick

Anyway, it was a crap game, that happens unless your man utd. Arsenal lost it when Eduardo lost his foot, Chelsea are the Everton of 85, grinding out wins from nothing and Liverpool, well they are the premiership enigma.

I think Moyesy has realised in the last half of this season that we have, a nucleus of a side that will be able to break the top 4, maybe win a cup or two, but realistically, without crazy money that even Shitee could get, what is the point. To finish above Liverpool is as exciting as being in Nigel Tileys gang of Bullys in school, after a while it becomes boring.

Ive watched season after season and find that in Moyes we have a constant that could do so much more with a few quid, however in discovering gems like Cahill, Lescott, Arteta, Jagielka does he need the money? He certainly can recognise talent when he sees it. Can you imagine Ronaldo playing for Everton? He’d be out on the wing and every desperate pass would be sent out in the guise of a long ball, assuming that he like Johnson would turn in some fantastic goal.

I must say that Yak has been great for his 20 odd goals this season as did Andy in his first season, but now that he has hit the target, I think he is bored again, the sun has come out and he has other things on his mind! Sod that spending £11m on a player and paying him likely £50k a week. Let me finish my rant by pointing out, how many of us Everton/football fans earn £50k a week? If we were would we not expect that we should repay our employers/stakeholders with 110% every week? Having just signed pienaar for £2.2m and Moyes saying "he isnt pkaying as well as he did before the african cup of nations" that would tell me we have just bought a player with psychological problems....we’ll end up like Blackburn in 91!! COYB...getting more disallusioned from my padded cell every day...Nigel Tiley your still a prick who should be relegated to the family enclosure to teach you what being an everton fan is along with most of the team at the minute!
James McGreevy
20   Posted 13/04/2008 at 02:35:05

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By the way Christine, it IS easy to criticise people who are paid RIDICULOUS amounts of money each week to play as shit as we did today, and lastweek against Fulham etc. It makes a mockery of the club, its supporters and themselves. I just find that to peter out aainst teams who are championship players, or will be next season is an absolute joke, its like playing Oldham every week at the end of the season (no disrespect to Oldham).

Today we saw Pienaar beaten to every second ball. Fernandes doesnt seem to know that he should tackle EVERY ball and make sure that the man he passes to is an Everton player, Neville, ive always admired, but I find there are moments in evry game that he lands us in the shit, Hibbo is coming back (thankfully) Bainsey got a game at last and impressed....Yak, what is up with you, and AJ, dont become a fat drunk like Beattie the whinger...Carso, please stay, cos there aint no one who ca do what you do in the PL!!!!
James McGreevy
21   Posted 13/04/2008 at 02:35:05

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By the way Christine, it IS easy to criticise people who are paid RIDICULOUS amounts of money each week to play as shit as we did today, and lastweek against Fulham etc. It makes a mockery of the club, its supporters and themselves. I just find that to peter out aainst teams who are championship players, or will be next season is an absolute joke, its like playing Oldham every week at the end of the season (no disrespect to Oldham).

Today we saw Pienaar beaten to every second ball. Fernandes doesnt seem to know that he should tackle EVERY ball and make sure that the man he passes to is an Everton player, Neville, ive always admired, but I find there are moments in evry game that he lands us in the shit, Hibbo is coming back (thankfully) Bainsey got a game at last and impressed....Yak, what is up with you, and AJ, dont become a fat drunk like Beattie the whinger...Carso, please stay, cos there aint no one who ca do what you do in the PL!!!!
James McGreevy
22   Posted 13/04/2008 at 02:46:20

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And one last thing I gave off about in the pub tonight...if EFC are paying for the academy and keep going on about the quality of these young lads in the Academy, like Gosling and Rodwell, why does Moyes insist on bringing them to the UEFA cup and playing them but wont play them in the PL when we are stuffed for numbers? I think at times, the management should be a bit more open minded and not so bloody hypocritical toward sthe youth team and stop the whinging that we havent got players (who would break someones arm to represent their team at senior level)
Graham Mccann
23   Posted 13/04/2008 at 03:04:50

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Nigell Tilley. Well said!!!!!!!
Griffin Silver
24   Posted 13/04/2008 at 01:56:32

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It was a dreadful game and to think how much these footballers are paid and ’worth’ to their clubs; I really have seen better Sunday league games. Neville is dreadul, as everyone knows - why is Jack Rodwell not given a game instead, or even a place on the bench? I thought again Hibbert contributed to us conceding, obviously Carsley handled, but Hibbert was miles off his man allowing him time to look up and pick a cross, which he did about 4-5 times in quick succession after we scored. A Johnson is the weakest player I’ve ever seen, it’s like watching a little girl playing with her Dad. We need the season to end and fast!
David jones
25   Posted 13/04/2008 at 08:57:43

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Nigel..

Didnt Moyes buy Phill Neville...

Didnt Moyes extend Hibberts contract...
Joe Ludden
26   Posted 13/04/2008 at 10:04:38

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Agreed with Santosh. By the way - i dont think it is possible to overreact to the Fulham debacle. If any Evertonian saw anything in the way of football from an Everton player that day that they haven’t seen from a 6 year old please point it out. Otherwise dont attack the author for pointing out what was a disgraceful performance. Yes this season is a good step forward AGREED, but if we accept and excuse performances like Bham and Fulham soon we will be the club that thinks finishing 5th is all our destiny can be. Whenever the royal blue shirt goes on, you play yourself into the ground 100%. Was that the case yesterday? or v Fulham? or WHU? No. Did any player not get paid? No. We have a right and more so - a duty - to be critical when we see 11 blue shirts not trying. Im sorry Nigel - but please name another profession where you turn up - blatantly not do your job and you can get off the hook by saying "well I had a few decent days earlier this year". This is a good season yes - but you cannot absolve dire displays by cancelling them against good displays earlier this season. It doesnt work like that. Good displays is what we expect. Its what they are paid to do - it is not something special we should be thankful for. Thats like me getting a big well done from my boss on Monday morning cus I turned up and switched the PC on. We reserve the right to criticise. I stood on the terrace in Bucharest and started a "you’re not fit to wear the shirt" chant at my beloved Everton. Why? Because I support Everton not the mercanaries inside the shirts. Don’t anyone kid yourself, Moyes and the players (bar a few) are not Evertonians. They simply work for Everton. They get paid huge sums of money and have no excuse for under performing. Remember - no king is bigger than the throne he sits on.

Now before I am slated - this season has to be viewed as a success. We are definately moving in the right direction and this summer we will see if Moyes has it in him to take us to the next level. If he is prevented to do so by Kenwright et al - then can we then at least all agree that the Kenwright and Wyness must go?
Paul English
27   Posted 13/04/2008 at 10:47:35

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If uncle Bill could concentrate on David Moyes instead of Evita then maybe Moyes would have signed a new contract. I don't know why but the team has started to play with their flip-flops on. The same old story: one step forward; two steps back. If I could say one word to Moysie it would be... RUTHLESS!
Phil Rodgers
28   Posted 13/04/2008 at 12:15:40

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Is anyone confident of another victory this season? The Fulham game was like going back in time to a performanceI I thought I had seen the last of. At that point there was a serious chance we could finish fourth. Is that not motivation enough???
Anthony Doran
29   Posted 13/04/2008 at 12:08:52

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Hibbert (not got all the qualities needed); Neville (enough said); Yakubu (great until the chips are down); Johnson (Championship at best); Anichebi (If this kid wants to make he?s got to learn fast, could be another Cadamatari)

These positions are all top priority; then, with Cahill, Vaughan and Arteta back fully fit, I think we can improve.

Tom Edwards
30   Posted 13/04/2008 at 14:53:28

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Nigel Tilley above - I have been a fan for all of my life, that's almost 45 years, and I have been a season ticket holder for a lot of those seasons, followed them away in this country and throughout Europe, so I think it gives me the right to call the PERFORMANCE YESTERDAY "a crock of shite". That is the PERFORMANCE YESTERDAY, not the team, not any individual, not the achievements of this season... but the PERFORMANCE YESTERDAY.

Hope that is clear enough for you to grasp.
Sean McKenna
31   Posted 13/04/2008 at 15:30:53

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I have to agree with most of the comments above, I find it so hard to watch Everton at the minute and as a human nature I have to find someone to blame! And I'm sorry, I blame Moyes...

Why? playing Phil in midfield is a no brainer to me. Do Lescott Baines Jags and Hibbert have the orders of hoof the ball as soon as you get it??? They must do ? how many times did you see the back 4 with time and space followed by a 60-yard pass to Yak who can't jump and AJ who is 5 foot!!!! I'm fucking fed up with that crap.

Surely after 10-15 minutes of hoofing the ball Moyes should of been on the touch line with screams of pass the ball on the deck??? NO!!! All I heard was "AJ down the line..." FFS! The whole team need to look at themselves in the mirror, inculding Moyes, and sort this shite out now or we won't even be playing in the Uefa Cup next year!!!

Ged Dwyer
32   Posted 12/04/2008 at 21:16:56

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Howard - Very good goalie although occasionally makes a mistake.
Hibbert - Very good defender. Limited passing ability.
Lescott - Very good defender and is good going forward.
Jagielka - Very good defender.
Baines - Good defender and good going forward.
Neville - Average player who can't pass.
Carsley - Average player who can win a ball, but struggles to cover ground and has limited passing ability.
Fernandes - Still trying to settle into the side.
Pienaar - Possibly not fully fit. Can be very skillfull but lightweight.
Yakubu - Can finish but doesn't work hard enough and first touch lets him down.
Johnson - Runs all day chasing lost causes and chasing long balls down the flanks. First touch can let him down.
Moyes - Tactically very limited and has no idea on how to get the team to play good football.

Can anyone name who was the weakest link today ?
James Howat
33   Posted 13/04/2008 at 16:00:13

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Nigel Silley more like, if this is the best we have performed in the PL then what about the season we came fourth? You finish where you deserve to - the league doesnt lie, any other cliches you can think of - why is it so hard for us to accept that we are not good enough at this time?
Kenn Crawford
34   Posted 14/04/2008 at 03:31:34

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Overall this season has been a resounding succsess and I do believe that we have taken some tiny steps forward and as an Evertonian of over 50 years standing it is pleasing to see. But what in all things sacred is this pile of purile uninspiring tactically inept crock of SHITE that the team I love has dished out over the last 4 games is I do not know, but this I do know IT IS NOT FOOTBALL..

I do not subscribe to the theory that the players are tired; they train 4-5 hours a day 5 days a week and play 90 minutes of football(???) on the weekend, for money that you or I would have to work 40-50 hrs a week to earn in a year. IMHO, we have players who are not good enough and players that are fed up with trying to do the extra yards to make up for said players and we have a manager who is scared to send his team out to have a go at the opposition!!

Sorry rant over. I have to go now as they are calling me back to my tiny cosy padded cell.

Bring back the Golden Vision!

Jason Lam
35   Posted 14/04/2008 at 06:58:21

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Santosh, you have my full empathy venting your fustration. I think it’s the only way to ensure we retain our sanity sometimes!

In return I’ll like to dish out the following. No-one likes getting up at 7:30am. No-one like commutting to work, stuffed in the metro like sardines. No-one likes being paid peanuts and working long hours without sunshine. No-one likes stupid lazy colleagues or inept managers. I could go on and I’m sure we can all add to that.

But we are professionals. We are paid to do a job. It’s not about whether you like it or not, you’re tired, you don’t like the weather, you got out the wrong side of the bed.

Footballers paid 30k a week, taking summer holidays every year, training a few hours in the morning every day, playing in front of thousands at the weekend. And they only have to ’put up’ with this lifestyle until they’re 36 (if they’re unlucky, poor sods).


You would think they don’t enjoy playing football. Cripes.

To Ged Dwyer: you missed out Anichebe. In answering your question, see previous.
Vishal Poorundersingh
36   Posted 14/04/2008 at 07:57:50

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Next season we need to have better strikers. AJ is not that good. Need to get rid from him and Yak not hard worker, Anichebe is following Yak and Vaughan injury prone. So Moyes should look to strikers ... why not Thierry Henry.
Chris Fisher
37   Posted 14/04/2008 at 08:38:03

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still with the aj bashing......... you people!!!!
i tell you what we should sell him and see who we can get to replace him, peter crouch would probably be good ay??!! or why not re-sign james beattie now hes banging them in in the championship!!!! aj and the yak are a good partnership but at the moment everyone looks absloutley fucked!! we shouldnt be throwing away any kind of lead to a relegation threatend team its not good enough and i really dont get the neville, carsley parnership! nev is a right back i dont care if grav cant run alot he dont need to run aj can do his share of the running for him if needs be!!! we need someone who can play a killer ball from midfield to open teams up, neville?! NO, Carsley?! NO Graverson. YES?? he dont need to run that fast to do that!!! team for chelsea if arteta and osman cant make it?

Howard

Neville
Jagielka
Lescott
Baines

Fernandes
Carsley
Graverson
Piennar

Yak
Aj

i hope mikel and ossey are fit tho we?ll need them!

by the way did anyone see that cheating bastards gerrards dives yesterday???!! i wish we would of had that ref at the goodison derby this year!!!
Gareth Lucy
38   Posted 14/04/2008 at 11:16:35

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I listened on the radio. If i had a pound for everytime i heard....

"Neville... looks to find Yakubu with a long pass into space..... Ridgwell will take the throw for Birmingham"

"Neville.... looks to feed the ball through to Johnson.... Jaidi collects for Birmingham"

"Neville.... with time on the ball.... Ridgewell to take the throw for Birmingham"

"Neville.... chance to clear the danger... great chance for McFadden... Howard saves"

"Neville.... to have a strike from distance!!!!!! Ridgewell to take the throw for Birmingham"


Anthony Horabin
39   Posted 14/04/2008 at 12:54:52

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Neville may complete a lot of passes according to the statistics but there is a big difference with passing a ball to a team mate just so it keeps possession at the back and making a pass that splits open a defence and allows our strikers to get a shot on goal. Neville cannot make those sort of passes.
John Roberts
40   Posted 14/04/2008 at 16:39:05

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Fellow Scottish Everton fan here, I just can’t believe we are letting that 4th place slip from our grasp, in saying that look at what we are up against and more to the point look at the money we don’t have but the top 4 do, it’s a tough one but Moyes is doing the right thing and maybe UEFA is where we can really do something special next year, look at my 1st team the mighty Gers, not a lot of money but have brought in decent players (big Davie Weir) and plenty of team spirit, keep the chins up guys all the best
Matthew Salem
41   Posted 15/04/2008 at 03:09:25

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Ever since Fiorentina it seems that we have been in free fall. 4th place became unrealistic after the Merseyside Derby and now holding 5th will be a struggle. We barely beat Derby and I feel we did not even deserve the point at Birmingham. On the plus side, all we really need is a win against Villa at home and a point elsewhere and that should be enough to qualify for the Uefa-Cup.
Bob Parrington
42   Posted 15/04/2008 at 07:39:11

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Let’s face it, Santosh got it just about right. I can’t remember being so irritated after watching us play. I think what worries me more than anything about this is that we seem to go really well until close to the end of the season and then we run out of steam.

The player list quality looks good enough on paper to be able to at least put on a decent performance even when Arteta, Cahill, Yobo and Ossie are out. But we just didn’t click in mid-field and tried too much of the long ball stuff to AJ and Yak, who were well covered by a defence playing deep.
But we looked tired and disinterested. No sign of inspiration! What’s the answer guys??
Mark Scarratt
43   Posted 15/04/2008 at 09:31:08

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We’ve done as well as we can with the current squad. We need to strengthen.
Players don’t play bad on purpose, but yes Neville is not a midfielder. Moyes won’t play Gravesen again after Oldham (FA Cup).
I feel sorry for Fernandes. The guy is class, but must look ’around and think he is playing with a load of divvies.
We need a class right back, unless we stick Neville there a’nd don’t keep putting him in midfield.
We need a big strong horrible midfielder in the Viera mould, and another class striker to help the Yak.
We are not a million miles away but the gulf to the top 4 is huge.
Look at the evidence.
Man Utd home lost 1-0 with Neville and Jags in centre mid.
Man Utd away lost 2-1, unlucky, Pienaar late peno madness
Arsenal home lost 4-1, battered them 1st half, how did we lose by that much
Liverpool home lost 2-1, injustice of the century
Liverpool away lost 1-0, terrible
Chelsea away drew 1-1, good
Chelsea away league cup lost 2-1, unlucky played well
Chelsea home league cup lost 1-0. They knew how to play that type of match and were just too good.

To get to the next level we have to improve our results against the teams above us.
Even Liverpool can’t beat them.

Also bad luck with injuries.
Take Torres and Gerrard away or Rooney and Ronaldo, or Drogba and Lampard and even the big teams struggle.

I hope the board back Moyes and we keep steadily increasing the quality.

COYB
Martin Anderson
44   Posted 16/04/2008 at 11:06:01

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A very entertaining post! To my mind - problems are down to Hibert and Neville - Neville is a good captain, but should be limited to rigth back. Sorry Hibbo.. cant cross - poor in the air - average passer - good tackler etc.. but need new blood there.. I agree we have the nucleus of a midfield that can compete at the highest level, but we need them all fit and over a Premiership season that?s not going to happen.. Need a big, tough talented midfielder - I thought Fernandes might be that guy, but he gives the ball away in terrible positions - but I think if Moyes works on him a bit he could be the Carsley replacement for next season.. Cheers
Mart COYB


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