The Mail Bag
Big game chokers?
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Now yesterday was fantastic. Couldn't have asked for much more, other than perhaps a few more goals (that we probably should've had). But, superb as it was, it raised again the question of inconsistency. An inconsistency that has ruined this season.
Thinking about it, yesterday, it became apparent to me that only when expectations have diminished do we really seem to to be able to consistently play our best football.
Often this happens during a match. Once we are down and have nothing to lose. Expectations of a win seem far off... THEN we start to play. Witness the second halves away at Hull and Tottenham for example.
Equally, some of the highlights this season have come against teams where, if we're honest, we may have expected nothing. Away to Arsenal, home to Man U and Chelsea. These are games again in which the team and Moyes may think they have nothing to lose, therefore no pressure.
Yesterday saw the beginning of a run of games in which, in terms of the grand scheme of things, there is little to play for. Yes, there is league position and an outside chance of Europe but realistically the pressure is off and voila... 5-1.
Sadly often in the BIG games, where expectations have been high and positive results realistically hoped for, we have gone missing. The derbies and Sporting away being the most painful evidence.
Now I am a big fan of Moyes and this Everton team. I'm not looking to knock them. I just think finding the key to this inconsistency is vital. To me, the problem does seem to be a sort of mental weakness... an inability to bring the same strengths to the pressure situations.
I'm sure I am oversimplifying it and I'm sure there are BIG games we have played well in (our FA Cup run last season, for example) but it does seem to me that, in order to progress, the boys must get used to playing to the highs standards they have set themselves in all the toughest of games. Then next season could be very exciting indeed.
On a side note, I read today that Wigan are looking at Egypt's Ahmed Al-Muhammadi. This guy is rapid, plays right back and right wing, has been described as the Egyptian 'Ronaldo' with 40 caps already for a good Egypt team, is only 22 and probably available for £2m. Worth a dabble, I say.
Sam Hoare, Posted 08/03/2010 at 17:21:28
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10 games to go, 8 points off 4th and everything to play for.
Thankfully the TW readers are not in charge of team moral. Goodison seems to take a different view.
I think there might be some sort of mental block regards the derby, how that awful shower have done the double on us is beyond me, but performances against City, away at Arsenal besides the games against the top two mean I dont completely agree with your theory.
I think had Fellaini played against Sporting or Spurs we would have fared better, the Hull game is the first game Arteta has dominated the midfield since his return, hopefully he will continue to do so for the remainder, the Villa game should be a good indicator.
Ian- by ’Big games’ i mean high pressure games. City, yes but games against man u arse and chelse were probably games where any points were a bonus, hence no pressure, hence good performances.
Pip is a good captain and leader on the pitch, but what he isn’t able to do is be the driving force on the pitch, a Peter Reid type who by sheer will can grab a game by the scruff of the neck.
Felli and Heitinga have both showed glimpses of this and maybe that is final stage of our development - somebody who not only has the leadership of Neville but who has the physical capacity to be a real driving force when it really matters. Hopefully Felli and Heitinga can both become those players.
The next ten games are the most important in Moyes’ tenure. Survive is assured, but achieve? What? Its a mini-league now and we’re more or less at the bottom.
I am far from a defeatist - we will be in Europe next season, and may well top the Shite in the PL, but I actually believe that the first ten games of next season will be our most important for a long time.
Neither really, we’re in competiton and you fight for what is possible. As I said everthing is to play for.
The question you pose is no more than a premature reflection on a season that has yet to be concluded.
What is it they say in Buddhism? Something like concentrate on the moment and the fruit of your labour will take care of itself?
Or indeed this... "No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
Actually it all just means, take every game as it comes.
File it with the other disproved theories from the past five years or so like:
- Moyes’ team never have a positive goal difference;
- Everton can’t win consecutive games;
- Everton cant score more than twice in a game;
- One good season is always followed by a poor season; and
- Moyes can’t motivate his team for cup games.
Adam- This theory would apply to this season only...where we have a decent record against the big 4 (derbies excepted).
I don’t think it has that much to do with Moyes, but more down to the players themselves. If you play a team and contiually get beaten, it must put you in a position where you automatically expect defeat, regardless of how people try to motivate you. But now they have broken that barrier, lets hope they lose all fear of teams in this league.
That said though, our success will be dictated by who we have available come the start of next season. But Nick is right, its not quite over yet. We all have next season mulling in our minds, but lets put this one to bed first, and give it a right good go. We could suprise ourselves yet again...
Dont worry about us, we’ll be fine, lets see how Spurs /Villa /City / Shite, cope with a fifth horse thundering up the outside to gatecrash their "four horse race"
We’re about to find out who the real chokers are
It is going to be interesting now and the more games Villa and Spurs have to play will only help us and given their manager’s hatred of The Europa league who knows what is going to happen. It’s just a shame the shite have an easy run-in though.
I’ve said in the past we have no control over what other teams do and need to concentrate on our own results, if the others lose all the better but we must seek three points from every game.
As for the Egyptian right back, in my opinion he was their second best player only behind Zidan in the friendly against Engerland the other day and if he is available for £2m he has to be worth a punt.
To presume that they are now in an acceptable league position to end a halt to the critisisms and therefor releaving the pressure on the team, again I can’t agree.
4th is sill possible, 5th and 6th a obvious target. They’ll want more. More more more. I can imagine Neville making the team aware, if they weren’t already, that everything is to play for. And a lot to prove as well.
Did you just make it up?
The best of the rest have the pressure of keeping up to contend with, and due to their comparitive limitations will drop points. So if we were as consistant as you’d wish for, we would be title contenders.
So is this artical about pressure, or limitations in ability? And if I was being harsh, Moyes’ big game tactics?
The Brum match fits into the same category now if we want to move towards European football and hamper one of our rivals. Lets see if we turn up.
That’s what the last 10 games this season and the first 10 next mean. Is the grit common to any top side in any sport going to come out and become routine for EFC? Really that’s not up to Moyes. The players on the pitch are the only ones who can do it. I’m looking forward to seeing how the rest of the season plays out. For sure, we have the talent. Looking for that game in-game out toughness and will.
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1 Posted 08/03/2010 at 17:11:36
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Summing up our current situation, I’d say.....
In Spite of the Shite,
In Sight of the Shite!
Let’s hope it continues and our nearest and dearest don’t even qualify for the Europa League next season - wouldn’t that be something else, eh?