False Sense of Security

Agree totally Lyndon. I never felt comfortable at 1-0 even though we seemed in total control. The number of matches that we could have and should have won this season if only we'd got a second goal when dominating is amazing. Is it something in the collective psyche that Moyes has instilled that encourages us to hang onto what we've got? We seemingly seem able to come back from a goal down, so maybe it is?

In tandem, the biggest "failure" under Moyes to my mind is our inablity to counter attack effectively. I know that top notch, quick, skilful players cost a premium and are beyond our means but it IS possible to acquire pace throughout the team at a reasonable price. Could you imagine Everton defeating Bradford 5-0 in the Capital One Final like Swansea did for instance? There ARE players like Dyer around who can inject pace into the game. We have Mirallas but he's spending most of his time on the bench. Even with him playing though, there is too much precision in midfield and very little incision. There were several occasions on Saturday when we broke out of defence only for the attack to peter out just beyond the halfway line because the player with the ball had run out of steam and there weren't enough people up in support.

For me, this is a side of the modern game that Moyes has never got to grips with and it's costing us winning positions.

I've only managed two away games this season, this one and the Reading game and to be honest, Everton always have me feeling that they are going to do something stupid.

They may have possession, but being actually in control of the game is beyond them. Their finishing is inadequate and poor Jelavic does not look anything like the player who came and made such an impression as a cool, controlled finisher.

Sometimes I wonder at Moyes's selections, Mirallas is rarely given a start, yes I know he's had injury problems, and Oviedo looks useful, certainly more useful than Naismith. Osman scored on Saturday, but since his elevation to international status has looked anything but an international class player.

I hope we finish in the top half and if possible above the other side from Liverpool 4, but I seriously doubt it.

For all our posession, Norwich had 10 attempts on goal with 9 of those on target, we had 11 attempts with 5 of those on target.

One day, I will grow up. By this, I mean I will cease the stupid superstitious routines whenever I am not present at games and only tune in to the radio/television when the game is over.

On Saturday, I overheard we were one up at half-time and that is when all the old insecurities kicked in again and I thought a Reading repeat was on the cards.

At 16:56, I put on 5 Live just in time for the presenter to announce "quite a turnround at Carrow Road"... I didn't even listen for the score. I just switched the radio off and cursed Moyes, Kenwright & EFC.

Come on Everton, victory tomorrow will hopefully springboard us to another win on Saturday and reignite the final portion of the season

Lyndon, very good articlute as usual. I have never contributed before but feel the need at the moment.

I have been a Moyes supporter but have grown disillusioned by his leadership of late. A leader leads from the front and shows complete loyalty to the cause — or the cause becomes diluted and the followers become less committed and enthusiasm wanes. This is what is happening to Everton at the moment IMHO.

Yes, you could argue that the leadership comes from the Boardroom and I agree, but to the players the leadership and determination comes from the manager. To me Everton (the supporters) should demand complete loyalty and commitment to the cause.

The fact that a manager does not want or refuses to sign a contract with the club that we love speaks volumes to me. A club like Everton and its supporters deserve a manager who will lead from the front, no matter what obstacles are in place, and only then can the players follow. If Moyes does not sign a new contract soon, then Everton should find a good manager who will — and for me, the sooner the better.

"Is it something in the collective psyche that Moyes has instilled that encourages us to hang onto what we've got?" - That's the whole point though Ray, we don't....initially. We go forward and then usually blow easy chances to go further ahead and then start falling back in the last 10 minutes to see off the game.

It's not a case of scoring one then falling back for the remainder. Take Oldham, 10 minutes before the score the equaliser, Jelavic should have made it 3-1, that's not sitting back defending a lead.

It when it gets later on, we start falling back deeper, not straight away.

Can't be "Dithering Davie's" fault. He's had a contract on his desk for 18 months.

Tony, on reflection, you have a valid point and certainly the game that you mentioned (and others) was a case of us not sealing the game by taking chances. However, there have been games such Reading and Norwich (away), Norwich, Wigan and WBA at home where I've had the distinct impression that we've stopped trying to attack far too early.

I do totally accept your point though that it's missed chances when in a winning position that have cost us most dearly this season. I still think that the "protect what we've got" attitude that often appears, stems from Moyes though and is often reflected in his substitutions. That might even be a valid tactic if we could counter-attack with pace - but we can't!

A bit of rant here, but I believe it to be valid.

We can analyse this latest losing performance until we're bored, but it's identical to most of the other defeats and draws we've suffered and here's the reason. I believe that even if DM had the money and a talented squad with flair throughout, he would still put out defensive minded formations with the hope that a RvP, Rooney (or similar could edge the game for us). It simply doesn't matter what type of squad is at his disposal; he's genetically conservative/defensive, he just simply can't go for the win from the first whistle. Teams like Norwich just exploit this.

EFC is going through a very uncertain period (despite what DM says about having a team of pro's who can cope) with both the managers situation and performances of late on the pitch (or lack of them). Most of the "Glass is half-full", Moyes (how will we survive without him) sycophants have only just noticed the evil presence across the park are just 3 points behind and the Gunners are doing their usuall consistant thing (quietly moving up the table), our general trend is downwards. There's a few bookies out there who think LFC will finish above us this season, it's not an unreasonable assumption.

BK has allowed DM to build a very old squad (by EPL standards) and it's probably got one maybe two years left of any kind of quality football. We're currently competing (I believe) for 6th or 7th (or maybe lower) with LFC, 4th & 5th will go to the Gunners or Spurs. In the coming years we're about to become not even the "The Best Of The Rest". And "The Best Of The Rest" is something many pundits regarded us as.

Also, it's an established fact Moyes has gambled on experience over youth and now we will pay the price for that over the coming years. This is probably a lot more serious a problem than DM's negativity and tactical ineptitude; simply put, we've only got a few players anyone would want to buy from us (and after we've sold them???). Shame on you, BK, for not directing your manager to assemble a youthful squad over the long term.

Do you Moyes followers really want to put the Fellaini/Baines money in his hands for more of the same over the coming years? Think it through before you answer, please.

Robert you can spout as much speculation as you want but the facts show your assertion to be wrong.

When Moyes brought in better players, we played better and finished last season well and started this one well. Injuries to the creative and better players happened and surprise surprise our form dropped. We needed to get players in in January and didn't and that again is costing us.

It's quite pathetic that some people are using speculation to try and have a go at Moyes.....if he had eleven great players, he would still be defensive. He wouldn't, as shown by our attacking style for a little while whilst we were lucky with injuries. And that's will just a couple of good players players, Not your Rooneys or your Van Persies.

If you want to have a go at him, use the facts of his over reliance on experienced players, his formulaic substitutions, but not some daft speculation that he wouldn't use World Class players in an offensive formation.

Saturday started positively, I was confident and for most of the first half we looked like we had the measure of Norwich. Sadly, a lack of goals again let the opposition in and a familiar last 10 mins unfolded.

Sadly I've now come to the conclusion that Moyes's time is up. We're tired of the same defensive tactics, he's obviously tired of working miracles with a tiny squad thin on quality.

Let's face it Pienaar should have been dropped weeks ago, Baines looks goosed, Fellaini is half-hearted (but not on Saturday), our squad is getting older and what youth we bring through, Moyes seems reluctant to use (Duffy).

Sadly I just think Moyes has run out of ideas and motivation. I don't think he'll sign and I can't say I blame him.

The real culprits are the Board who are well happy with mid-table survival and the odd final/semi-final. The Board have given him little money each year when we know that it wouldn't take mega bucks to reach the top 4. Sadly, the Shite show us each season that with the right money and ambition even they can get close to top 4 again. BK hasn't or won't give DM money – he and this board are strangling the life out of the club. It's a poisonous mix which can really get nasty like Leeds/Coventry and a host of former Premier League teams.

Moyes's non-signing is beginning to turn people against him – believe me, the atmosphere at the end on Saturday was bad towards Moyes. It can be turned around – we may win the cup! Maybe Moyes deserves a chance with a Board with dosh. Sadly at the moment he's fed up, we're fed up, and BK isn't arsed as long as we stay up.

Tony J Williams @ 519

With or without money he's not a winner!!!

And so let's have a look at your give him the money and he's an instant winner argument. Firstly let's compare like for like, our performance against lesser or equal teams. Let's start with lesser teams (Norwich?) home and away, what's the value of our team compared to theirs? what kind of results are we getting against them (with our money team)? I've heard it said by a few blues, that this is probably his best ever team (roll on the next 11 years!). It's not just Norwich, there's a long list have come back to draw or win against dour Dave.

I can only judge him europe-wise against the teams we've played in the europa and it's been woeful, he hasn't go a clue when he comes up against foreign teams with any kind of ability that are evenly matched with us.

I've decided not to look at the teams above us after 41 attempts to try to win away and that performance against RS at wembley (their worst team in 50 years and we collapsed again). That game will be my abiding memory of him!

For what it's worth I think DM will be with us next season, BK is only interested in 42 points each season nothing else matters. Although in 11 years time when we come full circle for a second time I'll have long given up my season ticket (the thought of paying 㿔m to him for the next 11 years sickens me) and won't be here to listen to say "He need more, give him more!!).

Basically we are not good enough to finish fourth. We have one genuine striker, and since the lad has lost his mojo we have struggled. We have on the whole played well in most of the games this season, however we just can't kill teams off. Moyes reluctance to shuffle his pack hasn't helped and the criminal lack of business in the transfer window was the final straw. Whatever way you look at it, I feel we have just come up short.

However, we are at home to Oldham in the Cup with the prospect of Wigan at home in a Quarter Final....what more could you fucking ask for. Yes we are frustrated, yes we have been let down so many times, but for fucks sake, what a fantastic position to be in. We can do any team on our day, all I am asking is that we give it everything in the cup.

The tangible pessimism needs to be stymied and we need to get on the march. So what if you love or hate David Moyes, Everton have an unbelievable opportunity to get back to Wembley. Come on you Blue Boys, do the business for us the fans. This is the FA Cup and we want to win it!

Rob - to be fair Norwich recruited in the last window and we didn't!

I think we will lose tomorrow. I hope we don't but there's something about our team that turns wins into draws and draws into losses.

The thing I cannot understand is that we are so called negative but cannot defend for toffee.

"With or without money he's not a winner!!!" – We wouldn't know, as he has never had money. The last time he was given money without having to sell his best players, we managed to get into Europe for a couple of seasons.

"I've decided not to look at the teams above us after 41 attempts to try to win away", I'm pretty sure that we have beaten Man City and Spurs away, they're above us.

Over the last few seasons, Moyes has brought in bodies during January, whether it's been Donovan on loan, or Gibson and Jelavic for money. This has seemed to gee up the team and the introduction of fresh faces has coincided with an upturn in form.

This season, January was a disgrace. We were in a great position equal with Spurs, above Arsenal and well clear of the RS. It was obvious to all where we were short and January was approached with great expectations. We are all aware of what happened, some squad players went out and nobody came in.

The Fer fiasco, what an embarrassment! We've been arguing whether it was a genuine approach or not: Did we have the money or not? Regardless, we are where we are and so far, whilst our main competitors are either moving ahead or catching up, we seem to have come to a grinding halt with only one direction on the cards.

There's only one culprit in my opinion for this and I lay the blame fairly and squarely on our so-called Board of Directors. They supply the money for the manager, the manager keeps his face straight and motivates the players, in the past, the players respond. Just recently it appears everyone has just given up! Thank God we've reached 40 points already.

Tony J Williams @ 821

How did we do in the Europa League? Your qoute "The last time he was given money without having to sell his best players, we managed to get into Europe for a couple of seasons." We had the money and where in a better off financial situation than many of the clubs we met in the Europa League.

His leadership was inspirational, astute substitutions (just like in the prem) and revolutionary tactics that had the opposition dazzled.

You're splitting hairs now: "I'm pretty sure that we have beaten Man City and Spurs away, they're above us". Man City and Spurs have only just begun to cement their positions in the big time. I'm talking about our (41 attempts to win) against the traditional Sky 4.

And for what it's worth both Man City and Spurs would spank us on a good and bad day; if you think anything else you're not watching the same EFC as me.

I stand by my statement – With or without money!