Mirallas inspires professional display

Our Mirallas off side goal?
Oldham denied an obvious penalty?
Jelavic hauled to the ground twice, nothing said!

I thought ESPN was pants but ITV really do take the Mickey.

Still, they cannot take away the fact we are winning, or can they?

Pip is doing okay but it is an armchair ride for our midfield generally. Having the right-hand threat seems to have them like rabbits in the headlights. Pip sticking to his instructions to allow Coleman the license to get forward.

Not missing Fellaini but I think that is a lot to do with Mirallas, Gibson and Coleman coming back to full match sharpness.

Pienaar and Jelavic still struggling to show their ability.

All-in-all good but still worried about our defence at times, not picking up Matt Smith given he was their only real threat is sloppy.

Hopefully this and Reading being a springboard to the games where we need to be on song.

Why Neville and not Hitzlesperger? Forever and a day I can't figure that out. Surely Gibson gives us the Man Utd effect Moyes dearly loves on the pitch.

Job done, no need to go to bed angry. 3-1 won't help everyone though.

And as for that fucking thing up front.... the less said about him, the better. Surely there's a kid in the Under-21 side or whatever that could do just as good a job as him? How can you go from being the player he was last season to the one he is now? It's baffling...

Another game and another non-clean sheet. Their goal once again was shocking defending.

I'm sorry but I just can't take no pleasure from that performance tonight and I'm getting fed up with Moyes and his shit style of football. I fear another struggle against Reading on Saturday. I just wish he'd change things, even if for only one game — the man suffocates the life out of me. Not a prayer he'll change it though.

As for this nonesense about Moyes wanting his players to hoof it and telling his strikers to run the channels all the time, you could clearly hear Moyes shouting
" Osman, keep the ball on the floor and play!"
And also. "Mirallas, get in the box so you can score!" Moyes cant drop the whole team for not listening to him because they are shite and cant pass.

As for Jelavic I think the criticism of him in this game is warranted because for the first time probably this season he was actually in the same positions he was in last season and this time it was bad touches that let him down. For the rest of this season he hasn't even been near the penalty box. If we keep this formation and keep plying him with the service we did in the first half he will rediscover his goals. If we revert to hoofing it to Fellaini as soon as he's back fit then he'll be back on the graveyard shift out left.

Could have easily been 5 or 6 tonight, but again our defence is fucking shocking. Regardless of the poor defending for their goal, throughout we were panic stricken, twatting the ball anywhere and heading to no-one. I hope Moyes gets back to his basics and gets us keeping clean sheets again; fuck knows how because I genuinely can't see us not conceding a goal again this season.

Anyway, the plus points... Mirallas was man of the match tonight, Coleman was sound, still don't think Jelavic was a one season wonder and genuinely needs a goal to get back on song... And thank fuck them tramps are out now, with their yard dog players and dickhead fans consigned back to the despairs of League 1.

COYB - please please PLEASE win by 2 or more on Saturday and keep a bastard clean sheet!

I feel for Jelavic atm, he's working hard but his confidence is at rock bottom. He's missed a few sitters but by and large he gets zero support and poor supply.

Pienaar should not start the next game, he has been poor for far too long.

Mirallas took his goal really well (outstanding cross by Gibson), hopefully he can kick on from this lively display.

There's a complete lack of footballing savy being coached and useless out-of-form players getting game time every week.

What was the point of the substitute @89 minutes? Yes, we went through but what's the point if Neville and Osman and Naismith will get a jersey in the next round?

Jelavic has been destroyed as a player to such an extent that he now looks out of place against Oldham when last year he looked top draw. We are clueless all across the park and God only knows what goes on at Finch Farm during the week. If we are to be a "long-ball, nick it off set-pieces" type side, then go and sign Matt Smith.

Then again, Howard was just at fault for that goal. Kept his eye on the defender not the ball. Should have got there before Smith.

DM's substitution work was truly atrocious.On t'other hand, he could clearly be seen urging the team to get it down and play it, which is interesting. Although Hitz would plainly have done that better than Neville, so why didn't he change them?

I can't believe Smith didn't start.

Not much to talk about really.

Job done.

I think your being kind to Distin there.

First half was better than we have seen recently but they reverted back to some bad habits in the second half. Many of the players don't look like they can give a full 90 minute performance and that is a concern. With a lack of fitness come silly mistakes and that is why we keep conceding silly goals.

On the down side Steven Pienaar and Jelavic look unrecognisable from the players they were last season. Not many options to replace Jelavic but I would give Oviedo a run on the left, he has always looked very sharp and capable to me.

Big story remains Jelavic. On this display he's one paced, lacks touch, dives, sulks, and gets frustrated and fouls. The thing is, all these traits have been evident since August (some such as the diving and whingeing were overlooked last season).

I've moved on from the "he'll find form" view and I'm now swayed more by the "last season was the exception" argument. Shame as I thought we had the answer to our problems.

Ian, I think you need a cold shower.

He's played over a year in the Premier League now. 40% brilliant followed by 60% dismal. Doesn't exactly smack of a top class player does it?

It would be nice to see a pass in front of him to move onto instead of the ball always being half a yard behind. Shows me he is a yard quicker than those who pass to him, at least in thought and that means the service to him is second rate.

Regardless, I can only imagine how our season would've shaped up if we had a striker that could ACTUALLY score!

It's our fault but we shouldn't be going into a season with only one proven scorer. Moyes should know better than that by now.

The reason Moyes puts Neville in the side is to win tackles and break up play, covering for Mirallas and Coleman while they bomb on and then Neville will try to keep possession as best as he can which usualy means Neville giving hospital balls backwards and sidewards. The reason he plays so much is because we have a very small squad and we usually have injuries to key players.

Hopefully Jelavic will get his feet sorted out, as he seems to be well out of sorts.

Reading will be interesting as they really need to start getting results, just as we do. Nevertheless, we really need to start putting a run together.

But the best performance was the ref. All the things Oldham got away with at home like the wrestling, the shirt pulling and the offsides they were penalised for tonight.

However, another goal conceded. I would be prepared to bet this is the leakiest Everton side under Moyes.

Ian (960) - you say "The problem is the likes of Jaggs Neville and Distin cant pass and Osman and Jelavic cant even stand up"

Couple of questions.

1) Who selected them?

2) Who bought four of them?

The ITV commentary was right up to their usual appalling standard. Andy Townsend is the worst I have ever heard. He makes Alan Green seem like the voice of reason.

He played in all four league games during his spell his spell at Leeds: three from the start and one as sub, in his last eligible match. The other three games during his stay were cup ties.

And, may I add, as a resident of Leeds (sadly), he got rave reviews from friends of mine who saw him play, in a side struggling for form at the time of his loan.

Spouting inaccurate information like that mystifies me. Why make it up and for what purpose?

It's like all those internet experts on here who said Coleman couldn't defend. Ill-informed rubbish.

From what I have seen, he's definitely worth a place on the bench at the very least and offers a lot more threat, strength, pace and an eye for a pass/shot than Osman.

It's a papering over the cracks game for me unless it can spur the team on. Osman, Pienaar, Jelavic are all in worrying ruts.

As a semi-aside, anyone think the yellow card for the foul on Howard was harsh? My point being anywhere else on the field and it's just a yellow card. But once it's a 'keeper the rules change. Same thing if a player goes in 50/50 with his foot for a ball the 'keeper comes for - players get all mouthy to the ref who inevitably reaches for the yellow.

It's like shouting "Be really good at football!" or "Beat one man then another then cut inside, take it round the advancing keeper and score!"

The wishful-thinking school of coaching.

He'll come good again, he just needs everyone on his side and not on his back. And we're not exactly blessed with alternatives....

In answer to your questions
1) Who selected them?
Moyes selected the players,(Why?) because he had so few quality players on the bench.
2) Who bought 4 of them?
Moyes bought them, (why?) because if he had more money he would be able to buy better quality players, instead he has to look for bargains and cheap alternatives.

I agree with Andy Crooks – Andy Townsend is a complete shit! You could tell all the pundits and commentators wanted an Oldham result! Bellends!

Sometimes Moyes cheeses me off! Naismith? Why? What's the point? The first thing he does is get out muscled by Smith... then nothing.

However, Moyes telling Neville to pass it, to me, meant he's telling his skipper to relay to the team not to hoof it, but pass it!

I don't know, maybe I've got it wrong - maybe he picks him because he hates him! It makes a kind of warped sense, because PN is looking like a bloody dogs dinner every time he steps out on the park these days.

If Mirallas was in the box as Oldham won the ball, broke away and scored, I bet you'd hear Moyes shout "Kev, what the fuck you doing up there?"

So what your saying is, the players ignore Moyes's game plan, do what they like and Moyes never does anything about it.

Playing Neville and Gibson together should never be an option, not even if we're playing Man Utd away. But guess what, we were playing Oldham at home!

If I hear one more time the accusation that Barkely can't be trusted because he lloses the ball in dangerous areas then I will do someone a mischief. Neville does it all the time. All the effing time.

"Neville is more defensive minded than Hitz..... its a clever move".

So we needed 2 deep lying midfielders and 1 forward (whos playing like a winger), at home to 3rd div Oldham?

Moyes set the team up well I thought, Jelly and Mirallas were basically playing up front and Coleman was right wing and Neville was the spare man.

Sweet dreams of cup final glory, fellow Toffeewebbers!

I think there's a good chance Moyes doesn't say that or at least doesn't say it to all his players and Jag is the proof. For Everton, when he has time on the ball, 9 times out of 10 it goes long but when he's playing for England he always looks to play it short.

Distiin needs to be sat to watch their goal over and over, less effort than Fellaini against Norwich to stop their goal.

The whole place seems in limbo at the moment, the manager, fans and players.

People who think we cant pass, our possession was 69% to us in the first half, and even after a poor second half performance, we were still better off.

Jelavic is starting to worry a bit, his bad patch has reached an extended period of time now, its been a few months, which is been a while. I really hope he gets good again.

Distin was awful for their goal, he really was. He was supposed to be marking Smith, Smith backed off a few yards, for some reason he didnt follow him, and then Smith makes the quick run for the header, Distin is left running behind him tugging on his shirt!

Bit harsh on Neville tonight, I thought he played alright, settled things down. We all know he's not the player to do the amazing creative pass (Gibson did that with the first goal!) but he hardly lost the ball. Looked composed in possession.

Coleman excellent, Baines and Pienaar dipping a bit, but I thought professional is the right word to describe the performance.

Hopefully now we can kick on against Reading, COYB

Mirallas is the only pace in the entire squad and Moysey was planning to get him off after about 65 mins as usual.

Osman needs putting out to the meadow too...

The things that concern me are the same things that did this time yesterday.

Phil Neville starting games
Steven Naismith pulling on my beloved blue jersey
Jelavić not getting a sniff all game - yes he's out of form...but the lad has had about 5 opportunities in as many months.
Ross Barkley not getting in the squad is a disgrace.
Moyes' subs. Waits till the 80th minute!

The amount of times we put ourselves under needless pressure. Howard's short goal kicks that lead to all out panic every time. Short corners that result in possession in our own half.

Jelavić expected to win flick ons and the second ball because nobody's within 30 yard of him.

Haven't seen a counter attack from Everton in 6 months.

Sorry, I know I'm lacking in coherence but there was an awful lot wrong with that performance.

Very glad to hear a couple of lads phone up TalkSport to inform them of Our Leader's shortcomings. He's done great for EFC...but now he has a good squad and not a clue how to use it.

Enoughs enough. Take Neville and Round and get out.

To be fair, you can say Jaggs hoofs it but I would say the majority of the time they are long diagonal passes usually to Fellainis chest.

There is other players in the team, he could play it short to Gibson, Baines, Osman and they wouldn't panic on the ball.

Ernie

Your comment has made me realise it's time for bed.

I must admit though it was a less than confident display with poor passing losing 50/50s and possession on a regular basis. Coleman gets better with every game but too much indecision in the area at times. Howard is finally getting his act together and claiming more of the hoofballs and corners.

A much improved performance but still well below our best; Reading won't be pushovers on Saturday.

I find it quite odd that posters love mentioning the bits of luck that went our way but conveniently miss out the ones that didn't.

How would you know? You haven't seen enough of Barkley, Junior, Lundstrum, Oviedo, McAleny, Kennedy.

These are good players. Potential to be very good players in some cases. The problem is Moyes would rather play his trusted few than give some of these lads a shot.

Neville and Naismith repeatedly turn out diabolical performances and cannot lose their first team places. Meanwhile we have hungry, quality players who are lucky if they even get to see the bench.

Particularly annoyed that Vellios, Duffy and Barkley were also pulled out of the 21's this week. Moyes clearly had no intention of starting them so why not let them play?

Answer: Because the guy's a total clown.

Ok i'll spell it out, when Jags has time and theres options available (not just Neville) he will more often than not still decide to put his foot through the ball. You can dress it up as much as you like but Jag's looks up and hits it in Fellaini's general direction. There not precision passes to a man in space that catch the other team out. Night night.

We WON tonight. Against a team who have been playing out of their skin in this competition. They were lucky to get the replay and got comfortably beaten tonight. We looked relaxed after scoring the second.

Yes, there are some worrying issues like Jelavic but now this misfiring team are in the QF's for only the third time under Moyes (I think!!!) and could still make 5th or even 4th depending on luck.

I have seen these players with my own eyes and can say without a shadow of a doubt that Barkley and Junior have more to bring to the table than Phil Neville.

You believe Moyes if you want. I have never seen a manager make the same mistake so many times. The man is as stubborn as they come and would play Neville well into his 50's if given the chance.

Regarding the game:

I thought Gibson was 1st class in the 1st half. He went looking for the ball, looked comfortable on the ball and really passed it well (ignoring the superb technique to put the ball where he did for the 1st goal).

Lots of Neville haters but again he did pretty well all night. You know what you are going to get with him. He takes responsibility and doesn't go missing. Thought he has a steady game.

Not sure why there are so many Distin knockers....thought he did okay all night. Not sure if Smith was his player at the corner but if so it was really poor marking but generally he was okay tonight...

Pienaar is now getting stick also...again I thought he did okay tonight. Okay not drifting by players and scoring/setting up chances like last year but still working hard.

Tony Marsh - Osman the worst midfielder in the league - urmmmm a bit harsh and unbalanced! He was not good tonight but overall he has been really good this season hence the England call ups!!

We have used the fewest amount of players this year in the Premier League and I do feel that is having an impact (That is not a Moyes pop). I am not surprised there is a dip and Moyes is wrong to ignore/deny it but I thought we were steady and professional tonight.

Looking forward to my FA Cup final winners post!

My point is, Moyes has generally got it right when it comes to bringing through the youth. Rooney wes brilliant so Moyes played him at 16 and the same as Vaughn, he's not afraid to play them if he thinks they are ready. You have seen the players against inferior opposition, its not the best way to judge. Moyes is a better judge of player than you i'm afraid. He has seen the players far more than you.

Have you ever played for a football team? You would know that the best players in training are usually the best in a real game and the worst in training are usually the worst in the real game. They are obviously not great in training.

Its just your opinion that Moyes has made many mistakes but I don't agree Phill. You are clearly drunk or just talking shite because he would not play Neville into his 50's

I think Phil Neville should play every week at present. He was really solid tonight and personally never lets the side down - you know what you are going to get!!!

OK I would sway him for a Lampard but lets be realistic.....Moyes needs to get us into Europe at the least and I would prefer to do that on the back of players I can trust rather than unknown quantities that could blow the opportunity!

Ian, Moyes's decision to ignore many young players might be an astute decision by a brilliant manager. It might also be stubbornness by a stubborn manager who has elevated stubbornness to levels that only the most chronically stubborn of his admirers could not find unbelievable.

Sam Hoare at 962 - spot on. For me, Pienaar worked hard and then royally fucked almost everything he attempted. If he'd not dropped for the next game then Moyes really is brain-dead.

Poor Jelavic. I felt he was just in the wrong position a few times. And by that, I mean quite a few times he was the second man in to a good scoring position, but for another player to get in front of him. The first goal for one, and another when Osman got his head to it. Jelavic was next in line, in a good position for both, and probably (maybe) would have scored had it gone passed the first player. Then he gives Gibbo an absolute peach on a plate, and the midfielder decides not to put his laces through it, but to side foot it out of the park.

Same with Seamus - he was purchased as a right back which personally I think is his best position. He doesn't have the guile or skill to play at RM regularly.

As for Baines V Lescott - he signed for EFC in 2007 when he played 22 games in his first season. From there he has always played 30+ games so I am not sure what your point is here!!!

"Eugene whats funnier is that people on here say all the time that Moyes should get the player to pass it and stop hoofing it. What do they expect him to do, say stop hoofing it and pass it? Well thats exactly what he did, how else can he get the players to pass it? Its not their fault they are not as good as Messi Xiavi and Iniesta"

Personally, I don't expect him to say anything while the game is taking place.

For me the coaching should be done at Finch Farm which is why the incredibly specific instruction 'get in the box so you can score' sounds so stupid.

I mean where do you draw the line?

"Don't lose the ball" or "tackle a bit harder" or "feint right but go left"

By the way if our players can hear these gems, so can the fucking opposition.

Speaking just for myself, if I was a skillful Belgian international I wouldn't be taking too much notice of anything screamed at me by a former Cambridge United centre-half.

Against Leeds Moyes threw in a load of youngsters players at once and they didn't do well. Frankly I think our first team would struggle at Elland Road. Is that how you blood your youth? Personally I would try surround any youngster with experienced pro's. they will make mistakes...but no worse than our first teamers do each week. How long do you trust the manager for before you start to ask questions about our non-existent youth policy?

Barkley couldn't get a game for Leeds? I'm from Leeds and, as has already been put to you in this thread, Barkley did play every game he was eligible for. The only omission being the final game of his loan spell. Leeds fans were roundly disgusted at this decision and used it as another stick to beat a manager they already wanted out. I accept your apology on this subject that you clearly know nothing about.

Also Moyes knew Jaggs was a better centre back but Yobo and Lescott were in very good form having a solid partnership and Carsley was coming to the end so it made sense to give Jaggs games in midfield while we had no one else and just experiment to see how he got on.

As for Baines, he wasn’t as good as Lescott when he first arrived, Moyes always said Baines would be his left back for years to come but lescott was in the form of his life and got in the England squad on the back of playing left back.

So what if some of the fans disagree with the manager, a lot of the fans on here disagree with the manager, it doesn’t mean they are right, so there is no apology from me I’m afraid.

Phil, I think Moyes has played the most 16 and 17 year olds in the league and you could probably count on one hand the number of teams in the prem who have given more youth a chance in the PL

If none of our young lads are capable of doing that with at least a bit more energy and pace and the ability to occasionally make a run into space or to beat a man, then they should hang up their boots in shame now.

Osman was absolutely spent with 20 to go and we had no-one to replace him?

It was job done tonight but to be honest I was surprised that Oldham showed us so much respect, especially as our defence (especially Distin) regularly hit the panic button when dealing with very little threat. Distin and Howard both a t fault for their goal for failing to recognise where the threat was arriving.

We had a threat on both sides which gave them pause for thought and Mirallas, Gibson and Coleman will all add something if they remain injury free and really get up to speed. Thought we could have had at least a couple more penalties tonight for clear tug backs on attackers trying to get to crosses. One on Pienaar when Ossie chose not to shoot was not shown again, presumablty to save the referees blushes as he was about 5 yards away with a clear view.

Jelavic tried hard but his touch was woeful at times. Then again he never actually got that clear opportunity for a one touch finish that he really needs at the moment.

Utter bullshit I am afraid. Check out David Booth's comments at #981 for the actual facts.

Warnock said he would have liked to keep him, the Leeds fans wanted to keep him (as did the Wednesday fans). People who watched the U21s the other week said he was the stand-out player.

You are now simply making up things to justify your own argument.

You listen to your team-mates to get an idea of what is on or if you are being closed down, but if you are expecting blow-by-blow instructions then you should not be getting paid vast quantities to play the sport.

I saw a couple and it was obvious that his team-mates respected what he was doing because they kept deferring to him and making sure he got as much possession as possible.

So you have analysed all the games he played in and all those he didn't and categorically proved that Ross Barkley made Sheffield Wednesday poorer because he just wasn't good enough? No of course you haven't; you are just spouting opinion as if it were fact and ignoring the testimony of those who have actually watched the lad play.

You are adversely affecting my blood pressure Ian, so I am off to bed.

You are getting beyond the pale now.

I know you will refuse to believe this because it does not fit with your general view of DM.

Would the likes of Moyes's favourites – Osman, Neville etc – get in any of those teams? Answer: 'NO CHANCE!"

Would the likes of Barkley, Oviedo etc? Answer "Yes at some stage of the game,to bring their potential on."

Moyes and his OAP favourites are stagnating the club and I dread the next game against a decent team !.

Neville was solid if unspectacular for a midfielder, Gibson was best on ground. Coleman has come on leaps and bounds and looks good value at RB. Kevin Mirallas didnt do a lot and looks to have lost a lot of match fitness.

Overall we were pretty shite and to give up territory to an Oldham team in the second half is what down to tactics, keeping what we have 2-0 as we hardly ventured forward. It could have been a different story with Baxter unlucky with a post and a clear penalty perhaps?

On 60 minutes, I was asking for a bit of a change, young Vellios and Oviedo. I don't see what Niasmith brings to the side. Again the confusing subs by Moyes. Oh well: a win is a win is a win. Let's hope they can further improve at home on the weekend.

:-)

As I said in my report, though, the result is all that matters and I'd have taken a deflection off a defender's arse and a 1-0 win for us if that's what it took.

I'm hoping for a bit more enterprise and consistency going forward against Reading on Saturday, though. We need to get back into a groove and rediscover some self-belief that we can finish in the top 5 or 6 this season.

Bill couldn`t answer as he was busy shouting instructions to the ITV camera man, "Quick, we have scored! Get my smiling, emotional face on the big screen!"

We did play better than of late but only in patches. Coleman and Mirrallas were strong down the right and generally Mirrallas looked like he is starting to find his orm after that injury nightmare. Baines had another good game but his partner Piennar looked frustrated and his touch wasn't up to the standards we expect. Defensively our set play organisation is appalling and everyone must fancy their chances against us if they can get a simple cross into the box.

Reading will turn us over if we play like this on Saturday and it will be a fast improving Wigan at Wembley not us unless Moyes takes a risk and rests three or four of these players for a couple of games. Duffy must surely be worth a chance ? If Victor isn't available again then give Velios a chance. Yelavic is in a dire run but he has real ability, you don't score eleven in 12 last season and suddenly become utter crap this.......basically his confidence is shattered because he's forced to go wide so frequently he might as well be a winger, and when he does get a chance in the box he's grabbing at it, fluffing his lines like a first night actor. He can hear the groans and knows his star is fading fast with the supporters and is now trying too hard, he's a natural quick witted forward but he needs a break and our infamous tiny squad makes that tough, but worth the risk in my view.

It's all been said before but Moyes reluctance to chance his arm with a couple of youngsters is undermining the team, as is the strange absence of Oviedo who has to be complete rubbish in training.....you know how it is, "Moyes sees them every day in training" etc etc....well he sees Yelavic every day and frankly the lad must play like Messi at Finch Farm because that's the only reason he can continue to be picked with two from 22 his woeful return.

There are times in this game when you need to do something different and that's exactly where we are at now. How can you say that after we have beaten Oldham and Wembley is so close ? Because it was Oldham, who albeit raising their game for the cup exploits (a lot) are desperately fighting relegation to League 2, yes they beat the shite but it doesn't change things, we are in the worst form of the season and have thrown away CL chances unless the manager shakes himself up, stops dreaming of CHelsea or Shalke or Arsenal and the players wake up and start earning those vast salaries, fast. I'm not overly confident it's going to happen but this is EFC and a miracle turnaround is not beyond us in the next 11 league games and three or so cup battles.

There are some serious problems at EFC that people seem reluctant to accept. Moyes being one of them.

Attack.

The 'Kin

Ball.

If you stand still you are effectively mark yourself ( CB: thinks; he's doing nothing going nowhere, what else is going on, or if you're Shawcross, all of the above, but I'll grab him anyway to be on the safe side.

The timing though is critical, some of the Oldham players came in like a wave on the sea shore then retreated AND Smith at the right time came back in again, with a run, jump, dispairing grab by Distin ( Ou est-il venu )

Don't be giving me yeah but he's 6' 6"

Two words

Tim Cahill

Poor coaching on attack ( standing still waiting for bear-hug )

Poor coaching, never mind marking space or what ever combination of man and zonal we are currently fucking up.

Attack

The 'Kin

Ball.

'space' ( as in marking space ) has even less goals this season than Jela

The Baines/Pienaar axis needs to be refreshed - and it might have the knock on effect of helping Jelavic. Oviedo might play in Jelavic with a different type of ball than Pienaar does, and so on.

I wish Moyes would do a wee bit of strategic tweaking. That's "strategic tweaking" as in "managing". Those substitutions last night made my blood boil! Is there not a short course he can go on: "How and when to use substitutes"?

Ossie looked tired and sloppy, Jelly really struggled. On the plus side, Peanuts looked lively in spells and I thought Mirallas showed glimpses of quality. Coleman too did well.

Happy that we won, but not getting carried away, as the same problems from recent defeats (slack passing, conceding as soon as the opposition raise the ante) were on display again.

"So you have analysed all the games he played in and all those he didn't and categorically proved that Ross Barkley made Sheffield Wednesday poorer because he just wasn't good enough?"

Bet he thought he had you there.

But...NO!

In (054) you explain...

"Si I saw about 3 of his games for Sheffield and some other highlights, the games I saw for Sheffield he was non-existent for large parts of the game"

Ha, it seems you HAD analysed all the games he played in (rather than say seen a couple of minutes on telly and made assumptions based on that because you're just...that type).

Snigger - bet old Si feels daft now, I mean how could he have known that you (an Everton supporter) would have watched Sheff Wed in 'ABOUT' three games?

(awaits - "Actually my nephew/uncle/ is at university in Sheffield and...")

Taxi for Pepper!

He went on record as wishing he could've had his chance at the big time again.

"Let's not get too carried away, suddenly we win a game, albeit against inferior opposition, and we let this 3-1 win cloud our judgment." - Love this one, not carried away? We have just had a 300+ thread after a last second defeat calling the manager everything under the sun. Now we have put Oldham to bed and looking forward but again, most on here are still moaning about the win.....yes you read that correctly, moaning about a win... brilliant.

It was a professional display because we beat them without playing that well and apart from the one corner and the Baxter shot, they didn't really look like scoring.

Let's not compare it to the penalty we won, which was obvious and is not worth discussing. GIbson's handball wasn't deliberate, plainly, but how often have you seem pens given when the ball is hit hard against someone only a couple of yards away? Quite a few times, I'd say - especially this season, it seems. Gibson was about five yards away! I've seen them given.

Osman played well - is he Messi? no, but then neither are many premiership midfelders players. Pienaar worked hard and probably does need a rest. Distin isn't the force he once was but how many defenders do we have at the moment? Let's put Heitinga back in and watch everyone complain....

...talking about the defense and lack of clean sheets - I place the responsibility with Tim Howard. He's on the way down and needs replacing this close season. With a new quality keeper we'll see better communication with the back four and a tighter defence.

In one season we've gone from needing 2 or three players to now needing about 6 and that's not a good place to be.

If the team can get into 4th spot the central spin of the team should be:

GK ?

RB Coleman CB? CB Jagielka LB Baines

RM Mirallas CM Gibson CM Fellaini? LM Pienaar

FW ?

ST Jelavic

Naismith is a long way off being a first team contender and more team player are desperately needed.

Back to last night, it was a good win and I'll take a win over a draw or loss everyday!!!!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/rules_and_equipment/4524354.stm

The bit at the end from David Elleray is the most interesting bit.

Talking of penalties, Jelavic will never win a penalty, no matter how many times he falls over in the box, so he may as well pack it in. Its embarrassing.

That said, if luck stays with us all the way, I won't be grumbling if there are blue and white ribbons on the cup.

http://www.football365.com/john-nicholson/8527174/John-Nicholson

What the fuck Mike Walker has to do with Moyes I don't know, but him & Walter Smith are regularly regurgitated names on here.

Moyes had 2 seasons to stamp his style on the team when he arrived, then it's all his own work.

They then throw in all this relegation bollocks, every time someone mentions change.

I am sick of hearing the likes of Lawrenson & Shearer saying what a brilliant job everyone is doing at Everton, then hold up Bolton, Charlton or Portsmouth as a comparison. Wankers.

The trouble is Kevin, nearly every time someone points to any faults the MOB has, we hear the same convoluted made up arguments, some going back to the 80's.

It work's both ways Kevin, there are the extremists arguing the toss at everything on both sides, then you have the middle ground people discussing the merits or poor points of Moyes and the team.

Then you have someone coming on a forum giving a link to a blog suggesting it is THE TRUTH!!

Get a grip, people.

With so many players out of form or injured, it was imperative that 3 new faces were brought in to add competition for places and to cover for those out injured. Instead, Everton now are limping towards the end of the season without knowing who is going to be the manager next season or if players such as Baines or Fellaini will be still around when the next season begins.

There have been lots of thoughts about who should come in next and in all likelihood Moyes successor has been mentioned by somebody somehere on this site since Saturday. But you never know, there just might be a surprise come out of leftfield, most likely a Europenan name that nobody thought of.

It's going to be an interesting summer with both the playing and coaching staff, but I still think Baines will stay.

As has been said so many times on this thread, getting through the tie is the most important thing, but in context of how we are playing this month, it is still alarming. If Pienaar and Osman start against Reading, I'd expect Oviedo and Hitzlsperger to be in different colours next season.

Additionally, does anyone else follow Vellios on Twitter? Not long after the game he tweeter "Soon." Interesting?

"Also, on luck, how close was Baines' penalty from being saved. Argue all you like, but that was a bee's dick away from being kept out" - Double fucks sake!

Hypothetically we could have scored several more if Coleman, Ossie, Gibson, Jelavic and Pienaar could have struck their shots better, so in that case Oldham were "lucky" that we didn't hit double figures.

I fully expect to see Hitz in different colours next season and would be worried if he wasn't.

Kev, you say "But surely a handball is a handball, wherever it occurs? " Not quite true, Kev, "a penalty is given when a player handles the ball DELIBERATELY", Law 12. Gibson would have had to move his hand towards the ball as opposed to away from the ball as he did last night. The Oldham defender leaned into the ball and moved his hand towards it.

Wrestling Jelavic to the ground was a far more obvious penalty which the ref, who I thought had a reasonable game, missed.

First time I have heard him say that one. Although he did revert to type when we had a throw in in the Oldham last third,"Gibbo get back" as he urged him to get goalside from our throw in, 35 yards from their goal.

Mind you, Big Bern has gone up in my estimation if he wore Flemmos and a button down Benny.

Our ability to simply keep possession at times borders on fucking shocking.

Amateur, lazy, lacking concentration, dumb.

I don't mean being pressed and FORCED into giving possession away.

And I don't mean losing the ball because of a great tackle.

I mean being a goal or two up (nb: so it's up to the OTHER side to panic) and simply presenting the opposition with the ball...again...and again....

If this is something that didn't concern or bother you last night, you have a very different idea of what is acceptable than I do.

Don't worry, we'll get it back. Every team has a rough patch ... we've had ours and we're still just a couple of wins from 4th.

No. Baxter is cack

It is quite startling the difference in recent months. We were sharp, thoughtful showed good movement, and seemed able to walk through defences (though our shooting was and remains crap). So how can we become so dull unimaginative and sloppy?

Injuries to key players combined with piss poor back up is one thing. Then at the same time the confidence crumbles, possible due to recognising such a startling dip in form. Confidence is so important and we just don't seem to be able to regain it. Watching players pass last night, at times they looked like they were kicking puppies or breeze blocks! The speed and accuracy completely gone. Now over cautious and plodding.

Oddly we are better able to deal with these dips than most... Moyes has a core quality in his teams which results in us being difficult to beat. Our game at its most basic when we're not playing well gets us by. We usually defend and are set up well. Other teams will lose a string of games but we hang in there and scrape draws and dull wins. It is something we've proven effective at and we rarely have bad or prolonged dips. I just wish we could see much more of our good side. Newcastle at home, Villa away and Reading in the first half were the best examples.

"Confidence is so important and we just don't seem to be able to regain it".

I agree but am confused as to why we lost it.

We were playing well, getting results, then.....crumble

Why?

Paul Foster (231) are you SURE we've had ours? (bad spell)

You might be absolutely spot on but it's all guesswork/wishful thinking.

I would be happy (or happier) if the problem was at least acknowledged (ie: "we gave the ball away far too often...").

At least that way I'd think well they're trying to sort it out

Imo Moyes and co need to take sterner measures with players who sloppily give away possession (ie: dropped/subbed/fined/battered).

Maybe it's an age thing with me or maybe how I was coached as a kid, but I believe needlessly giving the ball to the opposition is a (football) crime.

(it's the main reason I can't watch rugby - coz they welly the ball down the park to their opponents - does my head in).

When you said "it's the main reason I can't watch rugby - coz they welly the ball down the park to their opponents" I finally understood we've playing the wrong game at Goodison!!

;-)

Brian

We were playing well, getting results, then.....crumble"

Perhaps it is because with our less than brilliant players (not terrible, but not brilliant) we need all eleven to be playing as well as they possibly can. The thin squad (or Moyes' unwillingness to experiment) means that the same (ageing) players get picked every week and they get tired, found out or just run out of ideas.