FAN ARTICLES
Another incredible draw
Comments (134) : Despite such limitations, Moyes was able to select something approaching his strongest side with the resources that remain, minus Tim Cahill who plays for Australia in the Asia Cup final tonight in Qatar. Newly signed up Anichebe was out with a groin strain.
Everton started brightly enough, pushing the ball forward and showing some decent control for the first 15 mins without really getting close. The spell included a good cross from Bily that was headed back at the far post by Coleman to no-one following in. Rodwell looked to have clipped a throw-in back for Bily running in but his contact was poor at the near post when he should have done better.
Chelsea won their first corner and then a soft free kick out wide that led to another corner which was headed just over by Terry. Everton's first corner from Baines was deep. After a long spell of possession football and square passes that went nowhere, Distin tried the Route One ball over everyone to Saha. Everyone, that is, except the last Chelsea defender, allowing the visitors to threaten again.
Some great work by Fellaini won the ball off Essien and a great through ball from Saha released Rodwell, who shot straight at Cech, a glorious chance squandered. Coleman then found Bily with a good cross but the Russian was called for a push as he headed wide of Cech. Chelsea broke off a foul by Neville and Anelka hit the post but he was offside.
Ramires then played in Anelka who forced a crucial save from Howard, bundling the ball behind when Anelka would normally have scored from such a chance. Another dreadful giveaway by Fellaini put more pressure on the home side. Coleman then beat two defenders from the sideline and lashed the ball wildly at goal, missing the target.
Malouda was given too much space and powered a strong shot from distance that would have hit the post but Howard clawed it away. Everton had had lots of possession but too often allowed promising controlled football to be spoilt by a lazy or sloppy ball that conceded possession far too cheaply to the somewhat unimpressive Chelsea players. Fellaini shaped up to shoot in space but took a fraction too long and his effort was blocked. Arteta shot from distance but it was weak and wide when power and accuracy were required.
The half had needed better touches from the likes of Bily and Rodwell, who's lack of precision had let Everton down at critical moments after what was otherwise a half-decent period of play from the Royal Blues.
Fellaini forced an early corner after the break but Cech gathered it too easily. Fellaini won the ball a little too aggressively on the Chelsea break that came to nothing. Coleman's persistence won the ball well off the Chelsea defence and he got the ball to Rodwell who was forced wide but crossed deep to the far post where Saha looked to make a tricky score but Malouda blocked it behind with an impossible interception.
Everton won a soft free-kick that Arteta swung in well and Fellaini powered his header at Cech. Arteta got another chance to shoot from distance but the execution was very poor. Coleman did well again to spring another Everton attack but Rodwell chose to play square rather than moving forward into space and the opportunity withered away in a swelter of more square passes and final desperate cross to no-one.
From another Everton corner, simple as you like, Saha at the far post, beat Terry, powerful header, goal. With Everton finally ahead, Bily tried an acrobatic kick that went high and wide. Cole was struggling to contain Coleman's exuberance down the right and should have been booked. A good spell of pressure saw possession coming back to Everton repeatedly but they failed to do anything with it as the clock ticked on.
Coleman won a free-kick in a good position, but Arteta, with the sun behind him, bashed it uselessly into the wall. Malouda made way for Kalou.
Everton pressed again,Coleman denied twice as he tried to power the ball home. The resulting corner allowed Chelsea to break and Kalou to run the length of the field too slot the ball far too easily past Howard for a thoroughly undeserved equalizer. Chelsea broke again from another Everton attack but Howard saved his shot.
Everton pressed, winning a couple of corners and pushing Chelsea back as they looked for the winner. Lampard, who had been thankfully ineffective, gave way for Mikkel with 5 mins left. Ramires drove the ball past Howard with a fearsome shot that smacked into the base of the post as Moyes made his masterstroke, cunningly bringing on Beckford for the poor Rodwell and switching to 4-4-2 long after Chelsea had equalized, with barely 5 mins left.
Beckford got a fantastic chance when Ivanovic sliced his clearance and the enigmatic forward forced a crucial fingertip save from Cech. Everton kept pushing but the flow was broken by Drogba rolling around on the ground before he jumped up to take a corner that flew wide of the far post and that was it. Another incredible, unbelievable draw against a rather poor Chelsea side. A great opportunity to beat Chelsea was simply not taken.
Reader Comments (134)
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2 Posted 29/01/2011 at 15:48:04
3 Posted 29/01/2011 at 15:46:19
The way we play, even when we play well, continues to impute total frustration from a manager who simply cannot get his players playing to their potential.
We should have slaughtered them today, and had we done so, Moyes would be getting all the plaudits, of course, But of course we didn't, and that for me will always be Moyes's fault.
Killer instinct? Don't make me laugh.
4 Posted 29/01/2011 at 15:49:28
5 Posted 29/01/2011 at 15:35:08
6 Posted 29/01/2011 at 16:08:10
The reason why Chelsea were poor today is simple, totally outplayed by the two Everton players Baines and Coleman, who not only nullified the Chelsea wide players, but dominated the play from the wings.
Almost total domination by Everton in the second half, but seriously what position was Howard in for the Kalou goal, come on!??
Slightest bit of lick and we would have been 2 up from the corner they broke away from.
But be afraid... the gate, only 28,000 for the tie of the round and Everton's last hope of glory, next season will be a watershed for Everton.
7 Posted 29/01/2011 at 16:02:02
I don't think we will do too badly at the Bridge, I just feel it is an unnecessary extra match that we could do without.
Anybody got a spare set of balls for Moyes?
8 Posted 29/01/2011 at 16:17:05
I was at the match, and I saw Chelsea squander several good chances, including hitting the post.
They weren't that 'poor'. This idea that we should have 'slaughtered Chelsea'? Where do you get that from? Certainly not our form going into the match, or from this season. Do me a favour. We have only 2 fit strikers at the club in Saha and Beckford. We have Bily playing on the left, who flatters to deceive. Baines had an off day. We did well getting a draw, and maybe could have sneaked it. But a 'slaughtering'? Can't see that at all. The 'slaughter' should have happened last week vs West Ham.
9 Posted 29/01/2011 at 16:18:49
10 Posted 29/01/2011 at 16:22:09
That says it all
No further comment required.
11 Posted 29/01/2011 at 16:21:17
Just think we had to do it today, a replay we could do without, and can't see Chelsea being that bad again, on the other hand, you just never know.
Nice to see Bily get a start, thought he did okay. Think Baines is deffo missing Pienaar on the left with him.
By the way, were there any protests?
12 Posted 29/01/2011 at 16:11:31
I really am getting pissed off with all this negative shite. We can hold our own with most sides, ok passes went astray.. the lads are a good squad under the financial circumstances, (I can already imagine your riposte). Give the side some credit where it is due.
13 Posted 29/01/2011 at 16:27:57
14 Posted 29/01/2011 at 16:25:39
15 Posted 29/01/2011 at 16:20:33
When we beat Chelsea last year we never played as well as we have today but luck was against us. Last week we were awful and got a draw; today we were great and got a draw. That's football.
I thought Moyes played a lot better looking team with Rodwell and Billy better than Beckford and especially Osman. I can understand why Moyes did not change the team in the second half as we were playing so well. I think Moyes played the players and the attacking game everyone wants to see.
Well played Everton with no luck.
16 Posted 29/01/2011 at 16:30:11
17 Posted 29/01/2011 at 16:24:01
While I cannot forgive Davey for making the sub on the 80th minute rather than the 60th (or half time), I do feel that Chelsea were poor today precisely because our players played to the peak of their abilities.
These players were scouted, purchased and man-managed by a certain Mr. Moyes on a shoestring budget and he's doing rather well to compete with billionaires.
Unfortunately, the bargain basement players are not quite a match for a regular Top 4 team with a solid defence and top keeper bought via an unlimited budget.
Our frustration should be aimed at the man who is seeking "investment" 24/7 rather than a "buyer" 24/7.
18 Posted 29/01/2011 at 16:26:33
Funny (as you point out most weeks) that SO MANY teams seem to play so badly against us!
But you must be right: the Premier League is basically a set of a very poor teams that we ought to beat pretty easily.
Anyone paying attention today might have noticed that we drew because we are were pushing hard for a second and pushed nearly all our players up at a corner ? so they could score on the breakaway.
But don't let that spoil the now well established script: we should easily have beaten such a poor team and only didn't because we didn't attack enough.
Moyes Out!
19 Posted 29/01/2011 at 16:22:14
Colin: did you actually watch the game? Ancelotti`s team, the one that has been taking all the plaudits just recently, were cowering for most of the game ? 10 men behind the ball and looking to snatch one on the break... but once again it was Moyes "who didnt have the balls".
Absolutely priceless.
20 Posted 29/01/2011 at 16:39:31
21 Posted 29/01/2011 at 16:44:46
22 Posted 29/01/2011 at 16:45:42
23 Posted 29/01/2011 at 16:40:24
24 Posted 29/01/2011 at 16:59:33
25 Posted 29/01/2011 at 16:52:02
I'd say yes.
26 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:01:51
27 Posted 29/01/2011 at 16:51:59
Most people might be raving about Saha, but why does he spend all game outside the box? He is the striker in a 4-5-1 formation and should be in front of goal or thereabouts all game. He is not! All his work is outside the box where he waits to get a shot in. He was good with his ball at his feet today, but it is in the wrong place.
As for Howard, well I am just wondering how bad Mucha must be, to not be able to knock Howard out of the team. Howard has cost us dear this season (10 points so far) and now a place in the FA Cup.
Thought Bily, Baines, Coleman were great today.
28 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:01:36
29 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:04:25
It's probably not his fault, though... To my mind, there is only one person to blame for his failure to progress...
30 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:07:03
31 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:01:34
The fact that we've only lost 6 games out 26 (league and cup) shows that we are very close to being a really good team. Trouble is we've been saying that for a long long time and something's going to have to give. I'm more convinced than ever that it's BK who's the main problem at our club.
32 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:06:37
The only clearly poor player on our team today was unfortunately again Arteta. When Cahill is back the obvious move is to drop Arteta, play Cahill with Saha, and Bily, Rodwell, Fellaini, and Coleman in midfield. Let's hope indeed that Moyes has the balls to do just that.
33 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:12:12
Arteta was nowhere near his best but did show signs of coming back into form and didn't have a bad game. Interested to know what other fans thought of his performance today.
35 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:02:30
I don't understand all the comments about the crowd size, if people don't want to or can't go that's their decision, especially for an early kick off, which is on TV when times are hard. I, for one, am glad I went.
I found only two things irritating, the small time Chelsea Fans, we would have taken our full allocation at their place (just wait for the replay) and we haven't had a sniff at a double since 1986!
The other thing was the strange incident in injury time in the 2nd half when we almost stopped, then Distin rather than passing forward to try and nick a goal, passed sideways and missed Neville by a country mile. WTF?
36 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:16:47
Apart from the familiar crab imitations outside the opposition area in the first half and Saha spending far too much time outside the box than in it, I thought we were terrific in the second period today and desperately unlucky. We created some good chances for a change against a top-class defence (even if they looked decidedly less than top class on many occasions today).
Saha's acrobatic far-post volley goes in or Essien doesn't block Coleman's close-range shot (what tenacity, by the way, by Seamus) and we're basking in a superb win.
The players and Moyes have deserved criticism this season but today wasn't it. I was initially disappointed by the formation and I'm not convinced by Rodwell playing in the hole behind Saha but I have to admit we looked more secure in midfield than we have recently under the 4-4-2 line-up with Beckford.
If I have a gripe it's that Moyes should have put Beckford on as soon as they equalised to avoid the replay.
37 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:11:46
Our virtually sole problem this year is that we don't have a high quality striker. Saha played much better today, the five man midfield was the right tactics to dominate Chelsea, and Baines and Coleman completely nullified any threat from Bosingwa and Cole.
Moyes actually got it right and today we deserved to win. Last week against West Ham he got it wrong (we lost the midfeld to Parker despite Fellaini's efforts, and he would have been better playing Rodwell rather than Anichebe), and we deserved to lose.
38 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:21:25
39 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:23:01
40 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:16:01
As I always say, it's how the players play ON THE DAY and how the balance of the match goes. Clearly today it was in Everton's favour throughout. They had more desire, more possession than Chelsea. Normally we don't see that, so that was a good thing.
However, we didn't carry it through to the ultimate conclusion, and that for me is down to our dour spineless manager, who's demeanour has become one of fawning to the mightier teams he is honoured to pitch his plucky little Everton team against.
It's not so much a lack of attacking play but a failing to instill into his team a killer instinct, a real drive to play the ball forward with total determination when in possession, Instead there is this fear running through his team... a mentality that perfectly epitomizes the personality of their manager: hard-working honest underdogs. That is all we will ever be under this man. He drives me absolutely mad with anger at what might have been. Today, sadly was yet another classic example.
But guess what: all those media pundits who love him will be talking him up for "masterminding" another plucky display of over-achievement against the Premier League Champions. That may be good enough for you: it will never ever be good enough for me.
41 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:19:07
For my part I thought the team selection and tactics were spot on, making a recently very good Chelsea team look poor. I was glad to see Bily and Rodwell start and this seemed to contribute to some really good football, though their lack of match sharpness was in evidence on more than one occassion.
Saha was up for it and Fellaini looked like a man possessed at times, easily my MOTM.
As for the substitution, this is usually my bug bare with Moyes, however I thought we were that far on top of the game, that it didn't need that much tinkering with this time. Well played, just unlucky. Roll on the replay!
42 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:22:47
Must admit this is probably the first time this season I agreed with Moyes on team selection. Keep it up, Davey, we will start winning with the way we played today. One point about Cahill is that we actually have scored more goals without him: in 5 games we have 12 goals. I like Tim a lot but I think our Team plays better without him.
43 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:22:23
I should also comment that I was disappointed Arteta put a free kick into the wall in the 2nd half when any decently hit shot on goal ? given the sun was in Cech's eyes ? could easily have produced a goal. Moyes agreed to pay this man £75k per week.
Moyes should resign, not.
44 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:28:47
That stuff we now do in front of the opponents' penalty area, often going from side to side - it's called "passing". It's probing for a gap and an opportunity rather than hoofing it up the park. It's what Arsenal do much better than us because they've got much better players. I suppose Moyes could go back to hoofball if you'd really like him to.
And for all you 4-4-2 lovers: if we'd played that with Beckford on today we would not have controlled the midfield for nearly all the match. Watching today I am sure that Moyes made a mistake playing 4-4-2 last week against West Ham. Hopefully he will stop reading Toffeeweb in future!
45 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:36:35
Chelsea not top of their game but let's not forget they hammered Bolton last week and are still one of the top teams in Europe.
We outplayed them all over the park and but for a little rub could easily have won 3-0. Sadly when you're down things seem to go against you a little.
Coleman, ran rings around the best left back in the world and Fella dominated in midfield again. Baines and Saha also had great matches. Thought Billy worked hard too.
Please God we keep at that level and start converting some more chances. I still have faith... just.
46 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:35:20
This continual 'it's all Moyes' fault' mantra is becoming really tiresome.
We made Chelsea look poor today and should have won the game.
But to classify them as a 'poor' team is completely of a longer-term context.
They had their chances too and, being the rather good side they are (champions AND FA Cup holders in case you'd forgotten Michael), they got the 'luck' their current pedigree often earns them.
I was proud of Everton today. We made one of the best teams in the country look inferior with an all-round display of growing confidence, no small amount of skill on the ball, and passion from start to finish.
Like at Anfield, I'm disappointed we didn't manage to win a game that was within our grasp. But there are two teams on the pitch and David Moyes only gets as far as the technical area.
I think he deserves credit for the team selection and the way we played today ? not such predictable sarcasm from Mr Kenrick.
Change the record, it's getting really tedious.
47 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:41:43
Today was the same as ever, we were decent but lack incision and creativity going forward. In particular we don't strike quickly when we win the ball back, preferring instead to slow down and allow the opposition to get men behind the ball. You can't take all the good stuff Moyes does well for granted and give him no credit, but still want to jump down his throat for his short comings, it simply doesn't make sense.
48 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:44:05
about the 4-4-2 it only works with the right players in place. Osman and Anchibe are not good for us in any formation and it showed against West Ham. 4-4-2 could have worked today and I would have tried it after 60 minutes when I believe Chelsea were there for the kill.
49 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:28:19
Michael, the above is a load of shit. Is our record this season not good against the SKY 4/5 then. Our problem this year is breaking down the lesser teams... remember, I'm sure you mentioned it before.
Also you come out with the negative crap but did we not have more shots than Chelsea today. Maybe Moyes has instructed his players to shoot but not score!?
And finally, you reckon Moyes tells Rodwell to get in some great positions to score, then turn away and pass it back. If you blame him for the lack of Rodwell's progression, you must also recognise the good he did in making Rooney the player he is and turning Championship players into great players i.e. Cahill, Jags, Lescott etc etc
50 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:50:28
Chelsea were not having a great day. Mainly because we were pressurising them so strongly. But they still had the likes of Ramires and Essien (world class defensive blocks), Cech (world class saves), and Kalou (a very fine break) on the pitch. We were dominating them; but we were not playing some disorganised pub team rabble.
Indeed, in the Premier League today, we never do. A little bit more acknowledgement that we generally play other well-managed football teams with some good players (usually more good players actually than we have) wouldn't go amiss.
51 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:29:44
Thanks
52 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:46:48
Lyndon, I notice you keep deleting my references to "incredible unbelievable draws"... what was this? 13 so far this season.
For me the original quote from Moyes regarding his incredible, unbelievable achievements at Anfield was not only incomprehensible in its abject stupidity, but confirmed exactly what many of us had thought about his moribund mentality. And it's that mentality I now have the biggest problem with. Every draw just goes to underline the frustrations and limitations of this man as Everton manager.
As for your coulda, woulda shoulda stuff... again, the failure to convert chances reflects the mentality of a manager whose first priority is not scoring goals. His mentality clearly communicates to the players, and shapes the way they play. That's what I see when I watch us play. Others may not see this, but it fits with what I see on the field, and provides a sad logical connection to the increasing failures we are witnessing as we decline.
At least no-one is claiming we are still "making progress" under him.
53 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:49:11
Come on let's be honest here it was loads better than last week. I think any one saying Chelsea where poor are not giving enough credit to the lads today. We looked a good balanced side today, I just hope we can continue in a similar vein in the weeks ahead.
The financial situation at the club is not great and is cause of extreme concern but today's performance at least cheered me up after last week's nightmare
Come on people lets give credit when it's due.
54 Posted 29/01/2011 at 18:04:59
55 Posted 29/01/2011 at 18:11:57
56 Posted 29/01/2011 at 18:17:55
We bottled it at 1-0. Moyes should have broken up the game and used some subs. Also Bily is totally wasted out wide and should be moved central. The use of Rodwell behind the striker is baffling. He looks awful there and I really don't get why Moyes is persisting with that. Only plus points were again Fellaini. And maybe even bigger was Arteta I thought he had a good game and looked more like his old self.
57 Posted 29/01/2011 at 18:23:38
58 Posted 29/01/2011 at 18:04:46
59 Posted 29/01/2011 at 18:17:37
60 Posted 29/01/2011 at 18:14:36
Didn't think any of the players had a stinker. Better performance from Arteta, Coleman was outstanding. Saha in terms of keeping possession and movement was excellent, haven't seen that quality from him for a long time. Unfortunately, his good work was in midfield or on the flanks too far from goal to make an impact, this left no-one in attack mostly.
A draw feels like a missed opportunity to me.
We have had some woeful results, mainly from woeful finishing this season, because the play has been good, up to the oppostion area we're it really counts. There is a thinking that had we a regular goalscorer we would be flying high in the table and that is the main reason we are were we are. That is probably correct. It saddens me to say that getting that goalscorer is unlikely, it is more likely that eventually the quality we do have will seek pastures new or be to old for the highest level. That would be a damn shame.
61 Posted 29/01/2011 at 18:30:24
62 Posted 29/01/2011 at 18:17:04
Im guessing it didnt
Looks like no new players in any form then, wonder if more will leave???
Kenwright's a fookin amatuer
63 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:13:05
Under Moyes we play like a conference team, playing for set pieces, defensive boring awful football. Last season if we beat the ten men of Liverpool; minus Torres and Gerrard, we would have qualified for Europe and I am sure Pienaar would still be here. Moyes was happy we only lost by one at Anfield to ten men, taking into consideration the gap in finances between the two clubs, his general comments violate my ears. By his logic we should be competing with Arsenal because they have a net spend roughly the same as us over the last ten years. It is amazing how many blues tolerate this man, in my opinion they are the same blues who voted for us to go to Kirkby about 60% of our fan base. The difference between stupidity and genius is genius has limits, exemplified by the Kirkby fiasco.
Moyes has to go simple as, he is out of his depth at Everton and he can take 60% of Evertonians with him as far as I am concerned. During his time at Everton Moyes has not won once away from home against Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool, ten years, it?s disgusting. At the moment the likes of Blackpool Bolton Blackburn Newcastle Stoke Sunderland are all above us. Yet Moyes can do no wrong, try spell it out for you: his team, his players, his tactics, his fault.
64 Posted 29/01/2011 at 18:32:53
66 Posted 29/01/2011 at 18:36:26
All in all a good day, except for the result.
67 Posted 29/01/2011 at 18:23:05
An increasing number of Evertonians now seem to accept and believe this line of thinking, in step with the manager who never used to produce such guff in better times, and instead buckled down and got on with his (highly remunerated) job.
Talking of which, this from Mike Allison: You can't take all the good stuff Moyes does well for granted and give him no credit, but still want to jump down his throat for his short comings, it simply doesn't make sense. ? Er... so he does his job properly and everyone is expected to swoon? Not me, sorry. The stuff he gets right is at a very basic level: his shortcomings are what have always held us back.
Of course we are going to focus on them: in order for us to be successful under him, those shortcomings MUST be addressed and rectified. Simply turning a blind eye and talking up "the positives" leads absolutely nowhere... And I guess that's exactly where we are going now on the back of all this fawning "Moyes is Wonderful" shite.
Unlike many of you, it seems, I don't think drawing a game like today's is Okay. We needed to win it. The fact that we didn't is front and centre for me. None of these lame excuses for yet another failure overseen by Manager Moyes can compensate for that.
69 Posted 29/01/2011 at 18:38:15
A couple of examples, who the pundits, and I can imagine their fans, always go on about: Wolves and West Brom ? if only they had someone to put the ball in the back of the net, who knows where they would be.
70 Posted 29/01/2011 at 17:35:50
Once again, Felliani and Baines were outstanding. Coleman showed fantastic commitment and energy. Arteta better than previous performances this season.
Chelsea are still a good team but,as has been already said, they weren't allowed to play. Same commitment and quality for the rest of the season and we may rescue some pride. If only we had two pennies to rub together!!
72 Posted 29/01/2011 at 18:54:48
What?
Did Everton lose 3-0 today - or did we outplay last season's double winners and only fail to beat them due to their fortunate equaliser on the breakaway?
Still suffering from post-Andes oxygen-starvation I can only assume?
73 Posted 29/01/2011 at 19:10:40
Of course, superb managers grow on trees so Kenwright should simply sack Moyes and just pop down to the superb world class manager tree and pick one. Then we'll suddenly start beating Man U, Chelsea, City, Arsenal et al week-in, week-out.
74 Posted 29/01/2011 at 19:17:53
75 Posted 29/01/2011 at 19:23:10
Will Moyes ever learn? No.
76 Posted 29/01/2011 at 19:19:23
They played well. I actually enjoyed watching. And most importantly for the first time in eons I didn't want to throw a shoe through the television when they showed the starting line-up.
77 Posted 29/01/2011 at 19:00:39
If Everton had a 20m+ striker we would be challenging for honours.
When we havent been twatting Spurs, Chelsea, Man U, Man City, Liverpool. recently the have been scraping "incredible Unbelieveable" negative and more to the point totally fucken undeserved draws against us.
Get the difference ?
78 Posted 29/01/2011 at 19:39:00
79 Posted 29/01/2011 at 19:27:13
80 Posted 29/01/2011 at 19:33:05
Saha kept dropping too deep at times, putting Beckford on earliar with his pace would have given Chelsea another problem to worry about, and would have meant Saha having more space to work in.
81 Posted 29/01/2011 at 19:44:03
82 Posted 29/01/2011 at 19:19:36
Think its a bit harsh to blame Howard for the goal given the shot went through Distin's legs and also was right in the far corner ? don't think many keepers would have stopped that IMO.
On the whole I cannot fault the manager too much on this game, the sub was too late but upto the equaliser, there was only one team in it. The starting line-up seemed balanced and it's nice to see Jonny still playing in defence and not midfield even though Jags is back.
Also I wish someone would lamp Drogba, the guy is such a twat with his rolling around pretending to be injured. Just wish our players had not stopped at the end and played to the whistle.
Hope for the best in the replay ? our name is still in the draw for the next round.
83 Posted 29/01/2011 at 19:40:56
By the way Dave, we twatted Spurs and the shite at home, but we never twatted Man Utd, you know before we got that late equaliser against them, they missed a load of chances at 3-1 to have well and truly have put the game to bed.
We went 2 up against Man City, and for most of the game we were on the back foot. The Shite at Anfield, we were fucking woeful 1st half and could have been 3 - 4 down, hardly twatted them.
84 Posted 29/01/2011 at 19:38:08
Rodwell playing side ways and backwards? What total shit.
The bloke made some fantastic runs. He had an excellent chance in the first half and delivered a peach of a cross from which Saha was unlucky not to score. He tired towards the end of the game, but at the age of 19 and having completely bossed Lampard and Essien perhaps that was not surprising.
85 Posted 29/01/2011 at 20:00:42
86 Posted 29/01/2011 at 19:51:31
You forgot to mention all the chances we had against Man U too... but after hammering them last time we played them I can understand how they went all negative towards the end.
We twat City for fun; although both Spurs and the shite were negative on their own middens, we should have won those games too.
But you ignore all that, don't you Brian. You bet against your own team... and you come on feeling sorry for opposition when WE get an equaliser.
I`ll continue to stay positive myself, at least I can enjoy the game... even when these so-called top teams get poxey draws against us.
87 Posted 29/01/2011 at 19:59:30
I agree with you 100% regarding Drogba. He's an absolute embarrasment to the sport.
I actually looked at 2 of my kids when we watched Drogba rolling around and told them if I ever saw them do that I'd pull them out of any game they played in instantaneously and embarass the shit out of them in front of everyone.
I then mumbled something about Drogba having no penis... and he should play in a co-ed league.
His displays are disgusting.
88 Posted 29/01/2011 at 19:49:15
Tosh.
And just in case you didn't see them, Cech plulled off three good saves in the second half - one of these from a Coleman header that was then instantly followed by a great block by a defender as Seamus lamped the re-bound - the deflection off the defender's leg spinning over the bar for a corner (it might just as easily ended up in the onion bag).
Doubtless Coleman, bought as a full back but converted into a rather effective attack-minded flanker (who at times made Ashley Cole look ordinary), had the Boss' negative words spinning through his head as he risked a broken leg in his efforts to score - and this coming after he'd flattened his opponent while launching himself for the earlier header. Michael, watch it again on MotD and explain to me please how this characterises a negative, goal shy nature?! Ditto Billy's speculative over the shoulder shot and then our conceding a goal because we'd over committed for the corner, looking for a second, killer goal.
89 Posted 29/01/2011 at 19:56:36
Problem is we know it ain't gonna come, there is no money, there won't be for a long time, we have to hope that football changes because Everton won't in the current Premier league, and as shit as Kenwright is, it's not all his fault.
90 Posted 29/01/2011 at 20:11:47
West Brom didn't deserve the tonking the gave us?
I take it we deserved the late equaliser the other week against West Ham, even though they were the better team?
Stoke didn't deserve to beat us the other week when we were shite?
I suppose Blackpool didn't deserve the 2-2 draw?
Dave at the end of the day, the facts are, we are fucking skint, 5 pts of a relegation place, we have 27pts from a possible 69pts, that a massive 42pts dropped, but I suppose that okay because we twatting everyone in sight???
92 Posted 29/01/2011 at 20:25:51
Back to the attendance: We play on Tuesday (ok, away), and home on Saturday, I think maybe that had more to do with the low figures rather than any scouse sixth sense when it comes to football.
93 Posted 29/01/2011 at 20:29:50
Michael #65, and numerous other posts - you really have it in for Moyes? I find that 'incredible' that you continue to blame him for anything and everything - his tactics (you know, despite losing one of his best players midway through a season), the lack of progress Rodwell is making - who's to say Rodwell would have become a world-beater anyway? The lad is getting games, if he's playing poorly, how is that Moyes' fault? Don't say 'coaching in training'; in that case, why has Coleman come on in leaps and bounds since Moyes gave him his chance and has stick with him? As for the West Ham game that you didn't see last week - yes, I sat through it and yes, it was poor. And yes, today was a million times better than last week.
Thor #25: "28,376 and we draw. Would we have won with 38,376? I'd say yes."
I take your point, but as much as an extra 10,000 fans would provide encouragement, I think an extra £10m in the transfer kitty for Moyes would probably have made more of a difference in the outcome of the match. A Darren Bent, for example, playing alongside Saha, would have won that game for us today. We're drawing games because we can't finish teams off, because our finishing isn't good enough, because we have no money to buy better players.
And to paraphrase Michael, that all boils down to one person - and it isn't Moyes....
95 Posted 29/01/2011 at 20:06:05
You can't see it, but it's nearly 10 years now and in that time he once reached 4th, it's unravelled ever since.
He's wandering around like football's Gordon Brown, let him go. A change is as good as a rest and judging by todays attendance more are taking a rest from this shit.
Editorial Team
96 Posted 29/01/2011 at 20:40:36
See comment no. 35. I resolved a long time ago to stop the editorialising of the homepage news so we keep it as neutral as possible and leave personal opinion to the articles. That's why we have columns and the Editor's Blog.
The mocking "incredible unbelievable draw" references are indicative of your personal agenda against Moyes, one for which ToffeeWeb is being roundly criticised and ridiculed and I don't want to be associated with it in the form of our reportage anymore, hence me raising this publicly.
You have a loud and powerful voice with the Match Summary being front and center of the reports page and the Ed Blog postings after the match and that should be sufficient without it infiltrating the news portions of the site, in my opinion.
97 Posted 29/01/2011 at 20:15:59
David Moyes must say to Saha Beckford Vaughan Yakubu Anichebe Johnson Beattie Rooney Jeffers ete etc please dont score goals as this would make me a good manager but please all you defenders at all costs stop them scoring because that would make me a great manager. Please admit that you are backing your self into a corner and we played well today and were very unlucky not to win and David Moyes could not be blamed for the formation or the great football we played. Are you just playing "devils advocate" to try and get more people contributing to ToffeWeb? We all want ToffeWeb to maintain its credibility so we need the editors to talk common sense, in my opinion.
98 Posted 29/01/2011 at 21:02:07
How recently? They've been on a shit run of late and only picked up in the last couple of games. Drogba can't be arsed at the moment, Lampard doesn't look fully fit and Terry always struggles to cope with Saha for some reason. With their main men well off colour, Chelsea were there for the taking today.
"And for all you 4-4-2 lovers: if we'd played that with Beckford on today we would not have controlled the midfield for nearly all the match"
Maybe not, but we might have scored a winner? We've 'controlled' the midfield in the majority of games. We just don't do fuck all with it most of the time.
99 Posted 29/01/2011 at 21:18:27
We played well today and in parts were excellent, the fact that Chelsea broke from a corner and scored however is not Moyes's fault directly. It's getting more and more tiresome by the week Michael.
100 Posted 29/01/2011 at 21:05:48
Dave Wilson ? Yes, I watched the match, I also saw quite a few times no-one in the penalty area, because Saha was doing his best on the left wing. So yes, Moyes should have had the balls to put Beckford on sooner, instead of the idiocy of 5 minutes.
101 Posted 29/01/2011 at 21:34:12
your comment
"I take it we deserved the late equaliser the other week against West Ham, even though they were the better team?
really is silly.
102 Posted 29/01/2011 at 21:27:04
However, I can see Michael's point. WE DO LACK KILLER INSTINCT ? the only problem is that costs in excess of £30 million just ask Berbatov or Torres.
IMO we lost our way when Yak got injured and Moyes wasnt allowed to bring another top class striker in.
It is absolutely disgraceful that a club of our standing sells or loans out players of the calibre of Yak and Pienaar and even Vaughan and Neill and cannot even afford the wages for a loanee.
Imagine what a difference a Bellamy or SWP would have made to our season.
KENWRIGHT OUT ASAP!
103 Posted 29/01/2011 at 20:32:53
This season is incredibly frustrating to all of us because we thought we have the best squad for 20-odd years but the reality is fundamentally we have not got the fire power to consistently compete and don't have the financial resources to rectify it. In the main we have played well this season but with an element of bad luck and an element of reality that we haven't got the best firepower and an element that some of our key players like Mikey have been off-form has resulted in our frustration.
Today Fellaini was my MotM followed closely by Seamus and then Baines ? non of the multi-millionaire Chelski team came close. Surely we should be proud of this?
I must also mention that there were signs that Mikey was getting back to normal. Jack was ok today (no more) but why the hell make criticism of him? He is potentially key to our future and we need to support and not knock! I am proud to be a blue and while I respect that that at times we need to criticise; today should not be one of them.
To me we have done incredibly well under DM because we have had limited resources and we have to take a reality check. The key question is whether we can/should be able to attract investment to compete. If not then we have to just get behind the team and hope that we can continue to punch above our weight and keep hold of the real talent like Fellaini.
104 Posted 29/01/2011 at 21:26:11
Also, do goalkeepers never wear caps anymore? Howard was constantly struggling to shield his eyes from the sun when taking goal kicks. Ok, so you might look a dick but that never used to put scruffy arl Nev off.
108 Posted 29/01/2011 at 22:22:42
So many positives to take from the game, I can't believe how negative some people are.
Some people on here have to get real. We're a club with absolutely no money, playing in a shit stadium, with a thin squad put together on absolute buttons and we have managed to assemble a team that plays attractive football and can compete with the absolute best in Europe. Sure, we don't show up half the time, but when we do, ffs, have the ability to recognize it.
Do I wish we had more money and a different owner? Absolutely. Am I angry and depressed about our season? Yes. Do I think Moyes has some measure of blame for our underperformance? Yes. Do I wish we had won today? Absolutely. But when we play well, I think we can drop the whinging for an afternoon and celebrate being an Evertonian. Even when you don't win.
110 Posted 29/01/2011 at 22:31:25
Editorial Team
111 Posted 29/01/2011 at 22:46:24
For me, it's still about the football above all else. And since these particular items are purely generated from within, based on what you and I perceive as our take on the game, then some degree of colour is not only reasonable but to be expected.
As far as the "incredible unbelievable draws" business is concerned, surely it cannot have escaped your notice that, since Moyes uttered that ridiculous comment, he has manage to oversee only draws in all of the games subsequently played... This is not of my doing, but am I alone in seeing some painful irony there that definitely merits comment in the context of the corresponding match reports?
Yes, I agree it's been overdone ? but it is only in response to the succession of draws achieved on the field. You seem to miss the point that, if the sequence included anything but draws, then the metaphorical spell he appears to have put on us would be broken. As it is, even in this astounding season of draws instead of wins, that's now three in a row ? something even he's not achieved before.
I think it's unfortunate that you buy into this "loud and powerful voice" business too; I am merely one of a group of Evertonians that presents their views of the match on here. That I strive to do it soon after the match ends is purely to fill the immediate post-match vacuum and get some discussion going about the game. This should in no way affect the "volume" of my analysis ? a completely spurious assertion if you think about it for a moment.
All I want ? primarily to uphold the timeliness and relevance of the website ? is that there is a decent match-related thread up there ready for post-match discussion as soon as is practical after the end of the game. Circumstances mean that I am disposed to make it happen, but it doesn't have to revolve around a report from ME.
So ? this is an open invitation for anyone watching the game on TV, with laptop in hand, as I do: if anyone else is willing to send in a half-decent summary of the game, asap after the final whistle, we can of course use that instead.
Just make sure it gets in before I'm ready to post mine!
Editorial Team
112 Posted 29/01/2011 at 23:44:12
Absolutely agree. My point didn't extend to the match reports, merely the Headline News summaries of the game which I think need to be as dispassionate as possible except, perhaps, ? and here's the double standard of running a football site but one with which no one would argue ? in the case of a superb win!
I think it's unfortunate that you buy into this "loud and powerful voice" business too;
Again, I think you've misconstrued my point. The "loud and powerful" comment wasn't intended to insinuate anything negative; I was merely pointing out that there is ample room for both of us to present our views in as forthright a manner as we choose in the editorial/article sections of the site (and, again, I include the match reports in that) without having to color the news reportage with opinion too.
I'm sure everyone would agree that it's fantastic that we have a match summary up as soon as the game is over ? more evidence of the great service we provide (IMHO!) and it does provide an excellent forum for post-match venting/celebration/analysis, particularly in view of the fact that regular reporters like Ken Buckley, Paul Traill and myself often aren't able to get reports submitted for hours after the final whistle.
113 Posted 30/01/2011 at 00:25:12
114 Posted 30/01/2011 at 00:22:47
Andy, you must be joking?? There has been numerous games this season that we have completely dominated but not had the killer instinct to finish teams off. A £20 million striker would bring us this.
115 Posted 30/01/2011 at 01:10:12
The lads played well in the second half in particular, although our closing down on the break in defence must be sorted out - we were hit by a sucker punch we didn't deserve.
Don't fancy our chances at the Bridge, but as a critic of late I'll give the team some credit for today.
Not sure how to take the implied criticism of the attendance from certain posters (!!!) I think those people need to realise we live in difficult times and the North West is particularly affected. Those exiled fans on damn good wages just need to be aware of the many fans of the 'People's Club' who can't always let their hearts riule their heads (or pockets!) these days.
Final point - BK must sell ASAP if we are to keep up with the big boys. We are past the 'steading the ship' period. We now sink with the current crew or swim with a new one. TaXi for Kenwright (and maybe even Moyes).. please!
116 Posted 30/01/2011 at 01:20:28
1. They have a squad of fairly decent footballers.
2. These footballers main problem is they don't know how to tackle in defence.
3. Coleman can have an off game occasionally and will usually back it up with a great game - for our right side to get one over Chelsea's left is a big deal.
4. The team is better without Osman in it.
5. Louis's goal aside, we are very poor at every aspect of corners this season.
6. Moyes doesn't like substitutions. He should have brought Beckford on as soon as they levelled.
7. If Beckford hits it first time, then he has a lethal shot on him, but he needs to be taught how to trap, control, and dribble - had he done this after Ivanovic's muddle he would have scored.
8. 12000 people are sick and tired of paying money to see a club run so unprofessionally - this is the start of BK's downfall (fingers tightly crossed).
9. Saha is still a very, very good player.
10. Bily will be excellent if he is left in the side (gun to mouth in anticipation of DM once again dissappointing)
117 Posted 30/01/2011 at 04:04:14
118 Posted 30/01/2011 at 07:49:45
I just wish we were allowed to call Kenwright a twat.
119 Posted 30/01/2011 at 07:47:18
No, we had enough good Chances against Newcastle - missed two sitters in the last minute alone. I remember driving back from Blackpool listening to Holloway say "they were light years ahead of of us but we dug in " and I know you were disappointed we equalised against West Ham - I`m still puzzled by that one - but we deserved it. I will accept we were poor against Stoke and allowed ourselves to be bullied out iof it.
If you dont see our main problem is we are attacking with a blunt instrument, then fair enough, we`ll agree to disagree.
Colin Potter ; Chelsea were forced into a rearguard action because Moyes had the bollocks to throw a teenager in against world class opposition. 5 across the park gave us control of the game. Of course he could have surrended the initiative by playing a headless chicken up front, but thankfully he didnt, if you didnt see that, you and me were watching different games.
Andy Crooks
"Everton under Davey Moyes is a graveyard for strikers" ? Get an article up there mate . .give us your reasons
120 Posted 30/01/2011 at 08:50:48
As for today I thought it was a typical Everton v Chelsea game, we were all endeavor and commitment but lacked the quality to put them away, quality they have in spades reflected by their considerable buying power.
My prediction for replay is Chelsea through on pens.
121 Posted 30/01/2011 at 09:02:52
The thing is though, Everton don't have an attacking coach at the club!
Marvellous isn't it !?
122 Posted 30/01/2011 at 09:16:27
BTW Moyes didn't need bollocks to play Rodwell before Osman, he is a far better player. It just needed common sense.
123 Posted 30/01/2011 at 09:32:28
I find it incredible that when somebody disagrees with Moyes`s selection they seem to resort to accusing him of having no bollocks. WTF is all that about?
Every time we play 4-5-1 somebody comes on here urging Moyes " to grow a pair" yet SAF Hiddink, Ancelotti, Dirty Arry, Mancini, FSW and any other manager you care to mention have all played 4-5-1 against us... but when they do it, it's tactics.
If not sending your team out on suicidal cavalry attacks is the same as not having any balls, Jose Mourinho must be a tart.
I feel attacking Moyes's courage from behind a keyboard or by enjoying the anonymity of a phone-in, or the back of an alehouse, is kinda... cowardly.
124 Posted 30/01/2011 at 10:08:33
Take no notice Michael, I've just read the other match reports and snooty responses, if others want to present Everton like a Women's Institute let them.
125 Posted 30/01/2011 at 10:05:11
I would love Moyes to go on and win things with us, because I think he is a good manager, and he deserves too win something because of what he has done, but when he fucks up I'll be the first to criticize him and the team, because if he is to take the plaudits, he has to take the flak as well.
At the end of the day Dave, like you, I'm an Evertonian who wants the best for our club, but just because my opinion doesn't match yours, doesn't mean I'm wrong, its my opinion.
Oliver, just because I don't think we deserved the equalizer, doesn't make me 'Silly'. If you thought we did, then fair enough, that's your opinion.
You only had to look on here at the posts after the game, there was a fair few 'Silly' people on here then, because there was a lot of posts who thought we didn't deserve it.
126 Posted 30/01/2011 at 10:58:52
As for those who feel our achievements under Moyes are "not good enough" for a club of Everton's standing, until we get new owners with deep pockets, mid-table is exactly "right" and you all need a reality check. We are no longer a financial force in the game and haven't been for 30 years, to the point now where everything we own, and indeed future revenue streams are in hock..
Although Moyes deserves criticism for being constantly over-cautious, the real fault lies (sic) in the boardroom. Some would say it's not even there, with Green pulling some mysterious strings in the shadows, but that's another story.
In conclusion, aim anger at Bill not cheap sarcasm at Davey. What is it they say about sarcasm by the way?
127 Posted 30/01/2011 at 11:14:49
128 Posted 30/01/2011 at 11:17:17
129 Posted 30/01/2011 at 11:52:14
I did not call YOU silly, I said your comment was silly which is completely different.
130 Posted 30/01/2011 at 12:31:01
131 Posted 30/01/2011 at 11:46:30
Thats what fair minded peple do Brian, but he doesnt have to fuck up for you to critisise, you just do. As for plaudits, I only ever see you counter any plaudits and you are not alone, I doubt any of the "Moyes out" crew could ever bring himself to give him any credit, balance ? and I`m afraid credibility ? is lost.
I spend thousands watching this team and if I feel Moyes has fucked up, he gets both barrells, so does Kenwright and so do the players; but if we play well and win, I`ll praise them too. If the day comes when I cant find it in me to take sheer delight in somebody at Everton doing well. I`ll throw me hand in.
Moyes will be gone soon enough, but we`ll still be skint, we`ll probably get one of those yoyo managers you`re all screaming for, or a flash in the pan.
Mark my words, when those people who have systematically battered away get their way and when we sink under the management of someone like Owen Coyle or Roberto De Matteo, they`ll fall as silent as a Kirkby voter
132 Posted 30/01/2011 at 13:24:47
Why is it cowardly to state your opinion? I've written to Moyes a few times, not rude letters either, but he's never answered my letters. What does that make him?
Are you a coward for criticising everybody's opinion here when you do your best to ridicule people? You're hiding behind the keyboard then ? aren't you?
133 Posted 30/01/2011 at 14:30:49
Simply put, every game has chances and each team's goalie is paid to stop the opposition scoring. Citing Cech's saves as an excuse for not winning ignores Howard's in the first half from Anelka when we could easily have gone behind. In truth, we did what we always do under Moyes: look to avoid defeat, 1st half ? and then see if we can get something in the second... almost always from crosses or set pieces.
The system is not the reason we play well / badly; how the players approach the match is. After 9 years of dour, defensive dross, achieving a draw against Chelsea should not be the sum total of our ambitions. Yes BK is culpable for a lack of investemnt but so too is Moyes because of his one-dimensional approach to football.
135 Posted 30/01/2011 at 15:31:56
The problem is Dave, and this isn't aimed at you personally, we have fans on here who won't have a bad word said against Moyes, no matter how shite we are ? you know, blue-tinted specs and all that; they think we owe the man a huge debt, forgeting that he is paid a lot of money to do the job. I mean, FFS, these same people back BK to the hilt, because he is a ' True Blue'.
Roger, I agree with you, BK has fucked up big style, and if Moyes walked, I wouldn't blame him.
So, as I said Moyes does deserve a lot of credit for what he has done, but forgive me if I don't get on my hands and knees to the man.
Oliver, fair enough, thing is the comment was my opinion, just like you were able to voice your opinion, by calling it silly.
136 Posted 30/01/2011 at 15:52:04
I know plenty of people who can't have Moyes at any price, my lad is one of them. Moyes is big enough, ugly enough and certainly gets paid enough to take Criticism, it comes with the turf, I feel it's the right of every Evertonian to give his opinion, that's why I`m on here now.
IMO questioning the courage of a person you don't know crosses the line, it isn't criticism, it's an insult, abuse. And if anything, it has the opposite effect to the desired one; people will see it and, in the interest of fairness, they will want to defend him.
Anyway, I`ve more than had me say on this, so we`ll just have to agree to disagree.
137 Posted 30/01/2011 at 18:09:10
139 Posted 30/01/2011 at 19:07:47
140 Posted 30/01/2011 at 19:20:44
How is the draw the sum total of our ambitions? From what I am reading in the interviews, every Everton player thought we could have and pretty much deserved to win. Not exactly the old "fantastic" draw scenario is it? Hang on, that doesn't fit in with the "dour" insults does it? That Ferguson is one miserable bastard too, he must be feckin shite as a manager him.
141 Posted 30/01/2011 at 18:13:03
Like I said in previous posts, It's a great manager that can change tactics in the middle of a game because the situation and circumstances warrant it.
20-20 hindsight of course but most people will agree that after scoring we went for the killer. From Moyes, that was a correct stratergy to adopt. So if that was the case then why no Beckford straight away?
Every manager learns from his mistakes but Jesus, how long is it going to take?
Oh and when we finished fourth, did we have that much more money than we have now? If it was solely about money then: A/ Why are Arsenal still better than us? and B/ Why are we not in the Conference League with all the other teams who haven't got any money?
It's not about BK because he doesn't pick the team and doesn't decide tactics. The buck stops with Moyes and I'm sick to fuckin death about "we've no money" bollocks. We had no money when we were fifth, twice, and another thing.
Michael, was on about the amount of draws. I agree with what he said. Let's go for the maths and not how well we've played in those games.
Ten games = 30 points.
Scenario 1. Five wins five draws = 20 points. Great brilliant the meeja go overboard and Moyes gets Manager of the Month. But 20 points non the less.
Scenario 2. Seven wins one draw and two defeats = 22 points. Ohhh the meeja aint ejaculating anymore over Moyes's unbeaten stretch, but we now have 22 points and since this is pseudo reality we don't qualify for Europe at the end of the season say, by one point.
Draws will be the death of us and that's down to Moyes's fingerprint, his personality, on the team.
It's down to bad substitutions i.e. Chelsea yet again like all the other games this season against so-called lower clubs.
COYB
142 Posted 30/01/2011 at 21:06:44
I feel your frustration. Thanks to Moyes and his associates I have seen a decent squad being built over the last few years.
I too thought that Chelsea played quite tentatively, as though they expected a tough battle.
We played really well in the second half, and I was delighted with Coleman in particular.
However, it is all too familiar a feeling for me when I see our opposition on the ropes and we just don't seem to go for the jugular (lone striker).
People are saying that we are the underdogs and so we should be pleased, but I would contest that Moyes has enough good players now for us to really compete, at home at least.
Beckford looked very lively when he came on for 6mins(?). I would have loved to see him on as soon as Chelsea scored. The lad is a breath of fresh air, even with his previous shooting indiscretions.
Cheers
143 Posted 31/01/2011 at 02:52:15
Yes, SAF, Hiddink, Ancelotti, Dirty Arry, Mancini, and FSW have all played 4-5-1 against us and had it succeed to an extent (except Mancini). The difference with these teams though is that they are FULL of class players, not sprinkled with good players.
Moyes claimed last month that he played no strikers against West Ham because he picked the players that were in the best form regardless of position. Aside from that being completely idiotic in any sport, it was wrong. We don't have 6 or even 5 midfielders that are in any sort of form. At best we have 2 or 3.
Jon Cox ? spot on. Draws have been the difference between what we've done in the past few seasons and Champions League football.
04-05 we drew 6 (lost 13) games and finished 4th.
Since then the draws have been in the double figures and losses usually under 10 (05-06 excluded).
What this says that if you go for it in every match, you may lose some, but you could win some too, and 1 point really is a slap in the face when you know that 90 minutes prior there were 3 for the taking.
144 Posted 31/01/2011 at 11:57:03
It is clear that Toffeeweb is being "criticised and ridiculed" (Lyndon@90).
However, I would take that as a supreme compliment.Toffeeweb provides an opportunity for free, uncensored expression of thoughts, opinions and emotions.
That's very rare in our modern world.
Keep up the good work ? if this site becomes a bland, sycophantic homage to Moyes, BK et al then I for one will leave and I think many more will too.
145 Posted 31/01/2011 at 17:32:08
I didn't say swoon, but you never acknowledge when Moyes does things well. Its more than "doing his job properly", because he's directly competing against another manager who is trying to prevent him doing his job properly. Its not the same as you or me turning up for work and getting a few things done, its competitive. All in all, Moyes has done far more right than wrong, his league position is generally way above his comparative net transfer spending and our wage bill, and he often sets us up brilliantly to combat teams who should be better than us, given what they have going for them, but often aren't, because of the work Moyes has done.
Having high standards is one thing Michael, but where Moyes is concerned you seem to think anything short of perfection is worth criticising. In a weird way, you're Moyes' best evidence that he's doing a great job, as if some of our fans can be livid that we've failed to beat Chelsea (current double holders, in the last 16 of the Champions League, wage bill of £???M, transfer outlay of £???M, on a run of 7-0, 2-0 and 4-0 in their last three games etc.) then he must have be doing something, in fact quite a lot of things, right.
146 Posted 31/01/2011 at 17:42:58
Because we were on top and had just scored with the formation and tactics we already had!
Jesus wept.
You're style of management then:
"Hey this is working for us at the moment, quick, let's change it!"
Chelsea's goal actually came from a breakaway off our own corner. The only criticism possible in this case is that we over attacked. Well, apart from the idea that all corners should be in-swingers.
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1 Posted 29/01/2011 at 15:35:10
I think you should follow the general mood of the fans and aim your anger and frustration at the man who owns our club, not the man who is constantly expected to work miracles with ever diminishing and increasingly not replaced stock.
It was disappointing we never won, but we played well and we had a go. Chelsea are a quality side, and have been for over a decade. As much as people think 'we can match anyone on our day', the reality is they're a top 4 team, and we're a mid-table team. They're looking to spend £40m on Torres, we're spending £200k on a Greek kid. 'Incredible' is the correct word to be used, but not in a disparaging Moyes-mocking way.