Column

The Vanishing of Bad Spirits

This season has seen some remarkable changes in my list of prejudices.

Last years (decades, actually) I always felt that if we had won two games in a row, the next game was almost impossible to win. Even in our 4th-place-season 2004/2005 we only managed to win three games in a row twice, with both runs including League-cup matches against lower division teams. Granted, if you remove the win at Bristol City, we still managed to win three games in a row in the prem in september 2004. In the next season, we managed to win four games (all premier league matches!) in a row once. Last year, we never won more than two matches in a row. We even only won two matches in a row twice last season.

This year, I never think "we've won two matches on the trot now, we're going to lose next game for sure". It is of no relevance anymore. This season has four runs of more than two matches won in a row already, and these include three five-in-a-rows with the last one still running. I do not care anymore how our current run of form is.

Last years, when we had to play away in London, I always expected us to lose. I know, last year we've beaten Spurs and took a point from Arsenal and we've took the occasional points in the seasons before, but even when we had to go away to West Ham or Fulham I didn't feel comfortable.

This year, we've beaten the Hammers twice at Boleyn, won at White Hart Lane and we got a point at Chelsea. I still fear the game at Emirates because it is Arsenal, but I'm confident we'll win at Craven Cottage. I don't fear playing in London anymore.

This year all of a sudden the strange case was added that we couldn't beat top-10 teams. To be honest, I never really let this one spook me. But I have to admit that we didn't had that good a run of form against the teams in the first ten places in the league. Beating Man City twice last weeks and Pompey yesterday has convinced me that we were unlucky before and that there is nothing to fear when playing against the Uefa-contenders.

Of course the winning streak in Europe is also something that removes old pain. This leaves me with only one type of game I fear beforehand: playing against the 'big three'. We have a decent record against Arsenal at Goodison last years, but the other five games I do not expect us to win. I am happy if we manage to draw against Chelsea, ManU or in the Emirates.

With Chelsea at home and a game away to Arsenal Everton has the possibility to free me of all my prejudices in just one season! And to cement a run-in that will surely gain us a place among the first four in the league.

Please Mrr Moyes, do me the favour of throwing out all those bad spirits!

Reader Comments

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