Anjishnu Roy 05/04/2025 9comments  |  Jump to last

David Moyes’ half-time team talk and tactical tweak was crucial in Everton holding Arsenal to a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park on Saturday. The Blues went into the break a goal down but drew level from the penalty spot almost immediately after the half-time restart to secure a point.

Iliman Ndiaye, making his first start since February’s Merseyside derby at home, converted from 12 yards after Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly pulled Jack Harrison down in the box. The 49th-minute goal levelled proceedings after Leandro Trossard had given the visitors the lead at the 34th-minute mark.

Ndiaye shed light on his manager’s half-time team talk that inspired the side to play more aggressively. “Obviously, it was not good enough in the first half, but he [Moyes] came in the changing room and told us to change,” Ndiaye told TNT Sports after the game.

“He told us to stop, let’s go out and turn things around. Everyone needed to be at it and put more into it. We tried to turn things around and that’s what we did.”

Ndiaye recently made his return from injury and came off the bench in the 1-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield. The Senegalese winger scored his eighth goal of the Premier League in front of the home fans.

Meanwhile, David Moyes made a small tactical tweak at half-time as the Blues pressed Arsenal with more intensity in the second 45. Speaking on how his side were sluggish in the first half, Moyes said that the players were disappointed and angry at each other because of how they played.

“Tactically we made a small change in how we were going to press Arsenal. We struggled to get the ball off them at times in the first half but we got better in the second half. Great credit that we were able to get a point out of it,” Moyes said in the post-match press conference.

 

Reader Comments (9)

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer ()


Dave Abrahams
1 Posted 05/04/2025 at 17:36:21
I didn't see a lot of difference in the second half to the first but we seemed to improve when Garner came on for Iroegbunam but missed the work and ability of Ndiaye when he went off. Alcaraz is wasted on the wing.

Arsenal — not at full strength and looking at the next game with Real Madrid — were the better team but the point is welcome as we strive to stay above Wolves and West Ham and earn some cash from a higher finishing positioning the Premier League table.

Jerome Shields
2 Posted 05/04/2025 at 23:08:49
Davey, you got a bit of luck with the penalty.

An opportunity was presented just at the right time… but you couldn't capitalize on it.

In the end, I was glad of the draw and avoiding a dreaded defeat.

Ben King
3 Posted 05/04/2025 at 23:49:05
Of all our penalty appeals this season, that would rank pretty low down for the ones I thought should be given. Calvert-Lewin himself has had 2 stronger appeals turned down and obviously Ashley Young v Man Utd was a penalty.

Still, a surprising but welcome gift that we took advantage of.
I do think Moyes has greater influence than Dyche in these situations.

Derek Thomas
4 Posted 05/04/2025 at 23:53:25
I read Ndaiye's report of Moyes's words as equating to... "Try Harder!" — not much evidence of a cunning plan there, then!

And that putting O'Brien in at right-back, while hoping Beto can slot a one-on-one, is no substitute for better players.

I've said it half a dozen times now: given our circumstances and bench, Doucoure and Harrison with their hard work and running will find it hard to get dropped from a Moyes team.

Tim Iroegbunam showed what he is — a makeweight in a PSR fiddle with Villa.

Gana had a poor game.

After all the pre-game worries about Patterson, we got done right down the middle, saved twice by last-ditch tackles from Branthwaite, Tarkowski and saves by Pickford – it could've been 3 or 4.

Is it just me or are Arsenal a team cast in their manager's image, said manager being 'The snideyest little Spaniard we know'?

Unless they up their game or Real Madrid have gone backwards, they have their work cut out on Tuesday.

Paul Kernot
5 Posted 05/04/2025 at 23:59:24
Pickford, as is often the case, saved us once again. The one-on-ones superbly kept out.

He was my MotM just for that; otherwise, we lose that game 3-1.

John Raftery
6 Posted 06/04/2025 at 00:18:42
Dave (1) I agree. We got a lucky break with the penalty and apart from Doucouré’s shot a minute after the penalty we never looked as though we could get a second goal.

Iroegbunam impressed many fans at the beginning of the season but he has much to learn about midfield play. His positional sense is poor, he lacks awareness of danger and in the second half of this match was twice caught in possession leaving our team exposed to the counterattack. He has time on his side to develop but he looks to me like a player who needs intensive coaching.

Mark Murphy
7 Posted 06/04/2025 at 00:35:03
I didn’t think Arsenal were the better team at all and from where I was sat (given, the far end) I thought Pickford could’ve come out and claimed the ball rather than have to save the one on one.
All in all though I thought we played well and Tim will be good for us in the future.
Would love to see DCL back in this side.
UTFT
Colin Glassar
8 Posted 06/04/2025 at 08:05:55
Same here, regarding DCL, Mark.

The last 2-3 seasons have been a nightmare, injury wise, for the lad. Just as he was breaking into the England team everything has gone wrong for him.

I know he’ll be off in the summer but he’s someone I’ve always rated highly. If only he had decent players (service) around him and some stability on the managerial front, who knows what he could have become.

Jerome Shields
9 Posted 06/04/2025 at 08:24:40
It is difficult for Iroegbunam in that who does he pass the ball to and who does he receive the ball from.Doucoure is box to box until he runs out of road and then flicks the ball.He cannot pass and will lose possession.Gana is a harrier and tackler he does not move into space to receive the ball and has a tendency to attempt long passes that may or may not come off.Alcatraz is on the wing.

In a Premier League side what is needed in a midfield trio of movement, covering, tracking back, coordination and interplay.Above all what is need is recovering the ball having lost possession and then retaining possession to set up forward play.

Arsenal walked straight through the middle of Everton's midfield and the Everton forwards were never in the position that they were at the end of a good midfield passing movement.Moyes did have such a midfield trio at West Ham, but when one left it fell apart, which would suggest it was by luck rather than design.

Moyes was not only lucky with the penalty, but was lucky with last ditch tackles, though one was missed and a outstanding Pickford save.

I don't like it when Moyes tries to feed out sop( tweaks?).The day he says People's Club I will be on here everyday wanting him sacked.

Add Your Comments

In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.

» Log in now

Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site.


How to get rid of these ads and support TW

© ToffeeWeb