I remain 100% convinced it is a product of where the emphasis is placed in their training... where it has been placed for the last 8 years. At least that’s what it looks like when I watch them play.

No doubt we’ll hear all the usual excuses in due course, but this comes down again to what you do with the ball at your feet (or in your hands at throw-ins... don’t get me started on them!).

The boys didn't play well today... one of those things, so let's sort out Sunderland on Wednesday and get 3 points because that's more important.

This week, I thought we had turned the corner. I actually thought that David Moyes had turned it round again. We are happy to settle for crap. We are grateful that David Moyes keeps us in the Premier League. He will never win a trophy and we seem content with mediocrity.

We were superb first half last week but to keep those energy levels up for 90 mins is just not possible. If we had really gone for it you would have probably blamed today's shocking first half on us wasting energy in the second half last week in a game that was already won.

Bloomin' hard work supporting the Blues though. Hopes raised and dashed again.

Anyone of these three could have been replaced before half time. The game was crying out for Coleman as there was so much room down our right.

Neil fuckin’ Young, my arse — Only Love Can Break Your Heart.... Try being a blue.

Finally, if Saha was taken off and if he was not injured, Moyes totally messed up. Saha came close to scoring on a number of occasions and I believe that Cahill should have made way. He gave away fouls all match and maybe sometime on the bench would re-energize him.

For many Evertonians it seems that David Moyes is beyond criticism; we are so lucky to have him for a meagre £3.5 million a year. All the neutrals love him. Manager of the year. Well, in almost 8 years we’ve played football on very few occasions and won fuck all. Going out of the cup means something... or at least it used to.

Robert Daniels is dead right: Moyes should have had the players chomping at the bit before the game, but they were cold... and they were caught cold.

We have enjoyed the last few days with the joke about Moyes, Sir Alex and Rafa going for a drink and after they had paid for one set each, Moyes tells the other two to get lost because they are not there for the fourth round.

So how scary is it that the names of the players who scored the goals to knock us out were... Benitez and Ferguson!!!

If it was a novel, you would not believe it. So in all the frustration when I thought it was ours to win this year — I can still smile, just. Thankfully, we are Evertonians and we have a sense of humour!

We played against a team that plays like Everton. But the system that worked so well against Man City does not necessarily work against a team that defends really hard and attacks only from counters. Moyes should have either put more men to the attack or try to lure Brum to attack more so we would have had more space to attack.

It must be really easy for other managers to play against Everton because you always know how we are going to play: 4-5-1 home/away, no surprises and the first change (unless somebody really is injured) will come exactly 70:00 no matter what’s the score or how the game is going. Oh yeah, the wingers chop places but what do you care it’ s not going to change anything.

So if they (Brum) stick to the plan they always have a good chance to take 1-3 points from us. We have a good team now, it’s a disgrace that a team like Birmingham can come to Goodison and win no matter how lucky they are or how much chances we have.

Phil Neville was a weak link today, his crosses were bad. Coleman should have had his chance.

Heitinga is good, his experience is showing. Maybe a future team captain?

Distin is still recovering, he was a little bit unsure.

Baines was at fault for the first goal, his crossing is still quite poor. Some good moments, though.

Donovan had an off-day, mainly because Brum pressed hard and the hoofball tactics didn’t give him much to play.

Bily was bad. I was so dissappointed because I really like the guy, he is got massive talent.

Pienaar was not himself, it must be the pressure from Brum because I have never seen so much bad passes and decisions from him.

Cahill: huff and puff.

Osman scored a great goal but he’s still so weak that it’s too easy to defend him.

Saha didn’t get no service for a long time. When he finally started achieving something, Moyes took him away (might have had an injury though).

Vaughan tried too much, he spoiled a great chance from Donovan.

Fellaini was our best player by a country mile: he won everything in the air and his timing is getting better and better.

Arteta is not ready but when he came in, why oh why did our manager put him in the right wing and wasted precious time? When he moved to the centre it looked ok although at that time we only had less than 10 minutes to get even. Of course it didn’t happen.

A dissappointing evening but we have to move ahead.

Presumably you completed your little test and came out ahead of David Moyes? Otherwise, why are you commenting on here at all? You’d best think upon that a little bit before you come out with your next smartarse set of comments.

I made it very clear I was illustrating how it appeared to me the team had played. If you disagree with that, fine, but don’t play this idiotic "managerial experience" card — we’re all fans and all entitled to have our say (within reason). Please respect that.

We all enjoyed a great day out at Wembley last year, and today was (their) last chance to make this season memorable, another cup run.

Now I can take getting beat, let's face it, we're used to it, but this was a cup tie. They weren't prepared properly, just like at the start of the season, we're never prepared! Whose fault is that?

One final point, Mr Dee, if you must defend Moyes, and you're entitled to your opinion, I might add, just like the rest of us, please don't insult my intelligence with comments professing Moyes's ability regarding tactics, because that's probably his greatest failing.

Then again did you mean tic-tacs, he might be an expert on them, I don't know.

Why should we expect any different when from academy to first team, our entire coaching staff is comprised of ex-back-four defenders??? They earned their living by nullifying any signs of attacking flair and have shown to not have a clue about developing it.

Michael is not alone when he criticises our throw-ins... Is it really neccesary to wait until every team mate is tightly marked before releasing the ball?

The attacking third is a foreign country where Moyes and his band of coaches do not speak its language.

Do you think we started today like a motivated side? How many times this season have we looked motivated? Would you agree that the opening 45 minutes against Hull was as spineless a show ever produced by an Everton side?

David Moyes has been at Everton too long to be the motivator he once was. We were put out of the cup by a poor side yet Davy Moyes is above criticism in the eyes of some.

Is any one else sick of being patronized by pals who say how lucky we are to have him? For the same money 18 months ago we might have employed someone with a positive attitude.

Kevin Sparke, I disagree with you about Sir Alf Ramsey. His England team was based upon rigid sticking to his game plan. He was probably the first to dispose of old-style wingers, preferring instead to have extra work horses in the midfield.

I suppose it does not matter what position Moyes and Co gained their experience. It comes down to whether or not they look upon the game from an attacking or defensive perspective. I believe the defensive side of our game is Moyes's number one priority.

Should we ever stick 4 or 5 in the net yet concede just 1, at the next training session, what aspect of that game would be concentrated upon?

The simple matter is that over the past 7 or 8 years you can count on your fingers the number of times his team played the kind of exciting attacking football that Arsenal produce almost weekly.

Was the game crying out for Coleman to come on? Hang on... can’t do that, Neville HAS to play somewhere and Coleman is only a boy — that’s right 21 isn’t he... wasn't Ratcliffe captaining Everton to the FA Cup itself at 23? If you are good enough you are old enough.

Now we are OUT OF THE CUP! But it’s OK, we can’t win em all can we, even when we have our best players back.

FYI, City were the in-form team and we beat them, even though City genuinely are a good team and played very well on the day.

Big debate as to whether or not Saha was protecting himself for a possible move in the window as he didn’t go in full-blooded for a few chances, at least one of which may well have ended in a goal.

Vaughan’s finishing and choice at a shot rather than a knock-down to a sitting target in Cahill. Bily was useless and contributed nothing to the game, Baines needs competition, his crossing shite again — I mentioned this on the thread about the Norwegian rumour.

Distin was a bloody disaster, how, from his game against Man City, did he suddenly go so shite; out of position and unable to tackle between games?

Fellaini tried bloody hard and I think he and Pienaar our best players on the day. Osman, much maligned, came on and took his goal very well. Unlike most of his team mates, he actually gave a shite, he chased down their keeper for a clearance; how many times did Saha?

Arteta coming on was the only thing that cheered me up and if anyone heard the radio interview he sounded relieved to be back on the pitch.

Tactics-wise you have to wonder... For what it’s worth I think:

Baines needs a kick up the arse, shite crossing not good enough but he has no competition, why does he still take every set piece?

Distin needs a slap and to remember what a centre-half does for a living.

Bily needs dropping, the radio phone-in had the defence of "he’s played for so many months..." well I never see this argument, in my last job I used to work between 60 and 70 hours a week, drive for between 800 1,200 miles and did it for nearly three years; if I had slackened off, I wouldn’t have lasted three years. Footballers need to get a bleeding grip and realise 90 mins or 180 mins per week and some training is a fucking privilege!

Substitutions and starting line up — start with your strongest players and give replacements more than 20 minutes to make an impact — good example Osman given enough time to make a difference over Bily, bad example Vaughan should have gotten second half if Saha wasn’t going to get stuck in.

The arguments pro and con Saha were quite interesting with pro supporting he doesn’t want to get hurt, well he’s on the payroll, if he doesn’t want to put in a full shift he doesn’t deserve it, he still gets paid if he is injured which is more often than not.

Distin is not a shadow on Lescott who, in my opinion, was probably our most consistent and outstanding player over the past 3 years.

Neville’s crosses were so poor and predictable and sadly we had used up all our subs to give Coleman a chance.

Saha seem disinterested.

Bily, after having his best game, had one of his worst.
Birmingham converted 2 out of 3 chances, we converted 1 out of about 8. Clinical finishing is what we don't have — let's get Beckford now before we get gazumped at the end of the season.

We could and should have beaten them but for too many shit performances from key players. Look at Man U this season, they’ve done the same. But for some dubious penalty decisions, Chelsea would have lost or drawn a few games.

Oh well, it was good to see Arteta back at last although I was praying he wouldn’t go near a tackle. Heitinga continues to look a good addition, calm in possession and knows what he is doing. Fellaini too played ok and Osman improved things (can’t understand the abuse he gets sometimes). That’s about it for the positives.

Crossing was poor, players didn’t look for space wide especially Donovan, Baines had a nightmare, Neville did very little with loads of ball in the first half, we gave two strong centre halves too much heading practice in the first half and so on.

As for the rest, poor old Bily. Is it true he has been playing for 12 months solid because the Russian season goes through the summer? It looks like it, but remember Pienaar and Fellaini at the start. Neither looked likely to be a big success so give him time before writing him off. Maybe that time should be more on the bench for the rest of this season though.

Tim Cahill? I feel sorry for him, he’ll play anywhere and has suffered for it. His game has gone off since he started playing this extra striker role. He keeps the opposition busy but he is not half as effective as when he comes from midfield and is facing the goal rather than with his back to it.

We need to start playing with 2 strikers again. (Again? When did we last do this regularly?)

Distin! I’ve never had confidence in him, not since he and Richard Dunne put on a defensive comedy masterclass a few years ago for City (even Marcus Bent scored, I think). The sooner Jagielka or Yobo come back the better.

So come on Moyes, you can afford to experiment a little now. Ditch the lone striker plus Cahill crap. Give Vaughan a run in the team - I mean a run, now to the end of the season, starting games and playing as one of a pair with Yak or Saha. At least we would find out once and for all if he has got it. Same with Coleman, we need to find out if he can do it regularly not just as a sub. Limit Bily’s games till he gets his head round it. Tie Donovan to the right touchline. Ditch Distin at the earliest opportunity and pray that Arteta stays fit and Pienaar, Rodwell and Fellaini stay around. There should be no reason why we can’t move up the league and have a few more good nights in the Europa league.

In a way this match summed up DM’s reign. He’s been able to put out teams like Birmingham at the drop of a hat. But has he got the imagination and ability to go up a level and beat these teams by being more clever and more creative than they are?

The jury is still out on that one.

And as such didn't we just only lose a 4th round cup tie?? That's how I see it.

Oh and the only magic remaining in the competition is that I never would have believed as an 8-year-old that, at 32, I'd not give a shit about the FA Cup?

The FA can shove their sold-out sold-off trophy up their arse. Sorry, that's as romantic as it can be between us.

Also, I agree that he is only going to get match fit by playing games, but in a one-off must-win game, this was the wrong decision.

I was concerned that Donovan was constantly coming inside instead of offering an outlet to Neville especially in the first half. Our crossing was also poor and their two centre backs had too easy an afternoon. Just hope the next two games we can put things right.

As it happened, he didn’t... if he had, would those posters still have posted their wisdom.... managers: damned if you do and damed if you don’t... you’ve got to laugh or you’d cry.

This refusal to replace Neville (even as sub) will damage us in games like yesterday where we were crying out for Coleman. This is one area in which I would like Moyes to be braver.

Other than that, I’m very happy with our progress.

Most Evertonians will concede that Neville is not the most gifted of footballers but his influence to the team in terms of drive and belief is immeasurable. Captaincy is more than the sum of its parts, think English cricket and Mike Brearley.

I’m not saying captaining a cricket eleven and a football team is apples and apples, and Neville is definitely no psycho-analyst, but his captaincy role in bringing out the best in players around him may outweigh, at least for now, the enthusiasm and adventure of an inexperienced Coleman.