I would have to agree with you David. I too am a "glass half-full" person and it was great to see that famous Everton spirit come to the fore. I must admit when Spur’s scored their second I thought to myself "here we go again", but the boys stood up and young Coleman could barely have been more impressive. It was also great to see Timmy Cahill get on the scoresheet with one of his trademark finishes.

Yep. Bloody great. 15th in the league and scraping a draw at home against Spurs. The world is a better place.
FFS

Neil,
I don’t think david is saying that he is totally satisfied with our lot at the moment. Just a few positives to come out of the match.
Grow up. FFS.

Scraping a draw against (at the moment) a top 4 side who have just annihilated Wigan 9-1....no positives whatsoever!!!!

We were 5th last year again. We could have, and should have, put every effort into improving our future. Instead, again, we have wasted an opportunity and now people are getting excited about us drawing against Spurs at home to leave us 15th in the league. Sorry if you think that is childish but to me it is very frustrating and I believe we should be doing better, injuries or not. Maybe we just differ?

Does anyone think that Crouch Potato has the class to contribute to the England set-up at the World Cup? Having witnessed another inept display agianst Everton, I am convinced more than ever that he is over-rated. How Redknapp can prefer him to Robbie Keane is beyond me. He is in just for nuisance value and, even though Everton had little guys at the back, he did nothing. His heading is very poor so why is he rated by Capello and Redknapp?

A handful of goals for England but only against poor opposition. Heskey is another with a poor record and this guy falls down more than Drogba but Drogba scores goals. I cannot see England doing much after the group stage if these payers are in the team and the same goes for Beckham who is past his sell by date at the top level. Come on, Capello, wake up and smell the coffee?

Neil Patten - discounting the fact that all 4 central defenders were out injured, our playmaker still out, captain & often inspirer still out, and Spurs 3rd in the league and having scored 9 a fortnight ago, what in particular pissed you off about the game today?

There have been reasons to criticise Moyes and the team this season,despite the injuries. Perhaps even early on today as well. But the idea that you can be anything other than pleased with the outcome today is fucking bizarre.

Try a reality pill.

It is easy to get swept up in the euphoria of the last 15 minutes at Goodison today, but the previous 75 minutes were pretty darn woeful. We all know we have injuries, form has not exactly been great, and Spurs are a decent side, but I was really disappointed with how one dimensional we continue to be. Rodwell is in danger of becoming the Ray Wilkins of the 21st Century; he seems to exclusively collect the ball in midfield and pass it back to the fullbacks. There is just no forward thrust to the midfield - Krancjar, Palacios, Lennon, and even Huddlestone carried the ball forward with purpose (and with the genuine threat of feeding Defoe and/or Crouch with a route to goal) - I do not think that our midfield carries a similar threat. It was left to a 21 year old rookie fullback from Ireland to show any kind of attacking flair and determination to get us anywhere. That worries me.

But who is to blame? The tactics don’t help. The Spurs attacking unit is so cohesive - ours just isn’t. Two strikers anyone? And if Jo can be discounted from being one of them then all the better.

On the Peter Crouch front, I always dread it when he’s playing against us. A brace for Portsmouth at Fratton Park last year, a big performance for Southamption at St Marys a few years back. For me he’s a definite for South Africa - I know he’s an ex-Redshite but what a great bench option.

Sorry Andrew, but what does the fact that Coleman is from Ireland have to do with anything? The way you phrase it, it sounds like an insult.

Alan Kirwin

Spurs are not third in the league. Due to the result today they are fourth. And also as you quite rightly say we were awful in the first half.

I really am getting fed up to the back teeth with Moyes’s tactics. When all on here, at least, are calling for an attacking option Moyes decides completely against this and packs the side with right backs!

I cannot however say that I was disappointed with the outcome today. It would be foolish to say that. But as long as Moyes is in charge then the same thing will happen time and time again. I, personally, do not think that we are going anywhere as long as Moyes is in charge.

Whoops. It was just there as a bit of detail. Appreciate that it might seem that way - but no, not meant in a disparaging way at all. I - like everyone else seemingly - thought he was brilliant today. And if anything I’m a Hibernophile!

"It was left to a 21 year old rookie fullback from Ireland to show any kind of attacking flair and determination to get us anywhere."

Everton is a very international team these days pal, you’d want to get over whatever stereotype you’re trying to push here.

Seamus was asked to step up and he did, how you can turn that into a negative is beyond me.

Err...correct me if Im wrong but Coleman IS Irish and he IS a rookie> So whats the problem with referring to him as a"21yr old Irish rookie"????
And before you get your knickers in twist Im Irish too. Shame I cant be described as a rookie tho!!!!

I posted on another thread that for me the difference between the two teams in confidence and cohesion (and Lennem & Defoe) I though the Spurs midfield was OK one thing certain that Krancjar isn’t a LMid and for me Huddleston underacheives, would you be dancing in the streets if we for him or Pallios? Sorry Neil I can only see positives and isn’t it nice to see an Everton RB look up and put a cross into the box that actually finds a blue shirt

Andrew gamely acknowledged the possibility that his phrasing could be misinterpreted and clarified that all the information about Coleman were meant as details, so I hate to beat this one into the ground, but I wasn’t needlessly knitpicking.

Obviously, if someone writes, "the 21 year old rookie from Ireland was outclassed on the night," its factual detail and no one can complain. Its a little different when you say that its worrying that we have to rely on "a 21 year old rookie fullback form Ireland." Rhetorically, in this context, this particular cluster of details are flagged as concerns (We’re down to relying on a 21 year old! he’s a rookie! He’s Irish!).
As I said, I don’t want to contribute to a culture of jumping down other people’s comments or of knit-picking. And I appreciated Andrew’s clarification.

Coleman’s better than Rooney.

Sean, the comment can clearly be interpreted as disrespectful and even the poster himself admitted it as so.

Appreciate you clarifying Andrew, your response to Dermot only came up once I had already submitted mine, and there is no way of editing here. Apologies if it seemed I was jumping on your back.

I see some Blues want Coleman starting against Chelsea. He has got to play against BATE, that’s for sure, and I think he will. However, with his inexperience I would fear for him against the likes of Drogba.

Although if we were 4-0 up with 15 minutes to go, we could maybe give him a run...

I cant understand why people are having a real good moan, after the start to the season we've had, the persistent injuries too, I thought today we showed more fight and heart for the cause than any other time this season!

Today a lot of the players who people, and myself included, have been getting on the backs of, stood up and were counted in my opinion,. Cahill, Fellaini and Rodwell all gave a good accounts of themselves and got stuck in today and I thought Fellaini, Pienaar and Coleman played really well today.

Saha came on and made a difference and Hibbert was top class at CB again today. I think our season will start to kick on after this result! (Okay, maybe after Chelsea then....)

How come Moyes can start the last two games with defenders who are not 10% fit and yet not start with our leading goalscorer who is world class at times just because he is not 100% fit? Surely you start with him and bring him off when he is goosed, not bring him on when we are chasing the game.
And when is Moyes going to put his foot down with Howard and his little gripe he has about having a man on each post during corners? I think Nigel Martin mentioned that Howard does not like having players on the back post as they get in his way, well Tim after you bollocked Coleman to move off the back post there was no-one in your way to stop you diving for the second goal.

The only ’negative’ yesterday was the fact that we did not play 4-4-2.

Obviously their back line couldn’t handle 4-4-2. 2 Strikers gave Saha (in this instance) the chance to hit the goal, put in an unchallenged overhead kick and it gave the back four something to think about - in turn, allowing space for coleman (and baines, less successfully) to put in crosses of notable value.

Moyes’s tactics are unbelievable at times. He doesn’t recognise which teams to play 4-5-1 against, and which ones to play 4-4-2 against.

Those with dodgy back fours - 4-4-2...those with solid midfields...4-5-1...

I am a fan of Moyes but sometimes he gets it amazingly wrong and while I am ecstatic with the result yesterday (and Tim Cahill scoring!)...it shouldn’t be used to mask the major issues that we have. Lack of confidence, lack of tactics and lack of footballing skill - all issues that Moyes is accounntable for!

Jamie. I honestly think that if we started with a 4-4-2 Spurs would have ripped us apart. The 4-4-2 worked because they were 2-0 up and were sitting back. Their game yesterday was about the counter attack or the occassionaly lump up to the lampost. If we had a 4-4-2 from the begining Lennon and Huddlestone would have waltzed through the midfeld with ease.

Moyes tactics were spot-on yesterday, and Tony Williams post backs that up. You’re right, Tony, without a 5-man midfield, we’d have been ripped to bits by Lennon et al.

Rodwell just in front of the back four, with Fellaini in the middle, and Pienaar switching wings, sometimes playing side worked really well I thought. We were caught cold for the fits goal and Neill was at faulr for the second. After that 4-4-2 was the right thing to do and it paid off in the end.

Great game, great result if you look at the bigger picture. Moaning about that game is just odd — I’ve never enjoyed a draw so much in my entire life!

Jamie - how is Moyes accountable for the 9 or so injured players??

I'm not sure what is with all the hysteria about yesterdays game. I mean, we drew with an Ok Spurs side. They're not great. Didn't Stoke beat them at the Lane a few weeks ago?

I remember a few weeks ago West Ham were trailing Arsenal 0-2 with a few minutes left. Didn't think anything special of it when they came back to 2-2 and nor do I for us.

Delighted with the come back but a season changing moment, great determination belief etc.. not quite so sure..

I have to disagree with some of the above comments that are rather critical of our first half performance. I watched the game on TV at a friends ’ house. I thought that in the 1st Half - we gave as good as we got. Yes they caused us some problems, but we gave them some problems too - after all Arry took off the left back back and brought on Bale.

If we were that bad then surely Tottenham who have been playing very well this season would have taken advantage.

I thought that some of the yellow cards dished out by the Referee were very unfair to BOTH teams. I was rather annoyed at the criticism directed at Fellani by the TV commentators. He certainly did not deserve a card yesterday. I can’t recall anyone being injured as a result of one of his cards. Yet Nolan having destroyed Anichebe’s season back in February is merrily carrying on, with Victor still out injured.
I thought Hibbert did well — there was only the penalty incident were he looked out of his depth at centre back. And to be honest in that situation most players would have put in a desperate challenge of some kind. I have been critical of Moyes in playing Hibbert in the centre of defence and I have to admit I was wrong and aplogise.

One area I still feel DM could have done things differently is re bringing on Yak. I think Yak is looking way short of match fitness and I question whether bringing him on, when we are chasing the game will do him good. I would have liked to see Agard given a chance, after all he could have had the element of surprise on his side.

Talking of which I think Coleman’s performance was excellent, given his lack of experience. I think it surprised Tottenham. His general play was very impressive and his use of the ball when attacking was a revelation.I hope we have seen the emergence of a new young talent — for both Everton and the Republic of Ireland.
Regarding the accountability of Moyes for the 9 injured players. Of course he is not to blame for that. However, the failure to bring in players during the Close Season, until virtually the end of the Transfer Window is another matter. He knew that we would not have Arteta, Anichebe, Jagielka and Yakubu available for the start of the season. They have long term injuries and we should have given great urgency to bringing in players to cover for their absence.

Yak is clearly not 100% fit and the longer the other guys are absent — the longer it is going to take for them to get back to their usual form. We can’t expect players who have been missing through injury for nearly a year, to come back and play as if nothing had happened. The big temptation is to rush them back, and that would be a terrible mistake.

I was pleased that Cahill scored — yes he has not been at his best. But give the guy a break — personally I think in the absence of first Arteta and then Neville, Cahill has been trying too hard and his form has suffered. Perhaps giving him the skipper’s role was not such a good idea. He needs to allowed to play his usual role and not try to be a one man midfield.