Nothing ventured in this massive crunch game, a fixture Everton have won in four out of the last five, Moyes going tried and trusted, 4-5-1, despite its abject failure to provide the goals so far this season. Louis Saha up-front all on his lonesome, the vastly improved Yakubu overlooked for the third match on a row. Everything else pretty much as expected: the dreadful Arteta and the questionable Heitinga picked to start, with Rodwell and Bily on the bench.
No Gyan for Sunderland after their stunning 3-0 win at Champions Chelsea, but Darren Bent is back alongside Welbeck in a two-pronged attack. The visitors kicked off but an early Sunderland corner came to nothing. The game seemed to be going nowhere down the right when Jagielka switched play crossfield and suddenly Pienaar sets Baines free on the left, a fantastic cross, Cahill nails it... GOAL!
A series of Sunderland free-kicks were cleared with good defensive headers, the third driven low, Howard saving low to his left. It din't take long, though for Everton to descend into safety-first football, with passes back instead of forward runs players chosing to play the ball defensively or just hoof it forward aimlessly. Of course, they rare time they didn't, Arteta ruined a promising move with a dreadful pass that set up a Sunderland attack.
Richardson and Coleman tussled boisterously down the right, which got the crowd wound up even more when the ref failed to give the home side a free-kick. But most of the game was being played in the Everton half, the ball up in the air for puerile sessions of head-tennis. 23 mins and Zendon skipped past Pienaar and galloped in, sliding a great ball past Baines and Welbeck couldn't miss at the near post... and he didn't. 1-1.
Baines took Everton's first corner and it looked that Cahill had scored again but it was cleared by three players on the line. The clearance came back and a high ball was won off the keeper by Cahill, played back to Distin but his shot was horribly high
A Neville clip forward was brilliantly anticipated by Cahill and clipped over the advancing Gordon but Turner stopped it on the line, colliding heavily with the post in the process. Arteta than had a shot after a sequence of headers set him up but it was hopelessly high and wide.
The hour-mark came with each side looking to stretch the game after a period of Everton dominance, Sunderland winning a corner that was headed away well by Distin. A period of sustained pressure for Everton followed but in looking for the perfect set-up, it never happened. Jack Rodwell entered the five-minute pre-sub pre-brief from Moyes on the sidelines before he came on to replace Coleman of all people?!?
A nice move? almost a breakaway ? followed but Arteta, well positioned to shoot, chose a clever sideways clip to Pienaar who was pushed too wide and the glorious chance had gone. Malbranque came on for Zendon as Sunderland broke after Arteta went to sleep, Bent' s shot out for the corner, from which a cross eventually came in off Richardson, who had picked the ball up when offside, that Welbeck headed well beyond Howard and into the far top corner.
Everton had paid the price twice-fold for not putting them to the sword after that nice early goal... so, so predictable. Now wait 5 mins and go 4-3-3...???
Rodwell and Bardsley squared off, Jack earning himself a silly yellow card. Everton pushed and probed, but looked as ever to overplay it, with Saha, Pienaar and Rodwell doing the "After you, Claude" walk it into the net routine. Sure enough, 82 mins and Moyes plays his masterstroke, Yakubu for Saha and Beckford for Heitinga. And incredibly, this time it worked! (Although neither of the new subs were involved.)
Arteta looked to have missed his opportunity to shoot, but fired in a weak shot that the keeper had well covered miraculous clipped off Bardsley's foot and into the opposite side of the net!
Both sides could have gone for the win after that, and Malbranque released Bent who fired into the side netting. But as 4 mins went up on the fourth official's board, Everton's ponderous multi-pronged attack only succeeded in getting in each other's way in the Sunderland area. At the other end, Welbeck came so close to securing the win for Sunderland and his hat-trick.
10 seconds left and an incredible piece of Route One/hoofball [delete as appropriate] lands perfectly for Beckford with just the keeper to beat... and he leatheres it over!!! Moyes collapses in despair on the sidelines. He was not alone. Once again, extremely frustrating stuff from the Blues, who should have run away with this one.
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Is Rodwell our future? If so, start him from the beginning. If he's not, don't bother at all because it's unfair on the lad.
At the moment, if I wanted a sub on, I'd be looking at Alan Harper.
Arteta still way off-form and barely worth his place. But the rest played well and would well have won it had Yak and Beckford been given longer ? still don't know why they aren't starting.
Great to see Rodwell back to normal class. Roll on Fella's return. Worryingly I don't think Moyes is learning ? same old poor timing of substitutions.
Saha looks lost and frustrated. I don't know why he starts rather than Yakubu, who was looking really good in his run of games a few weeks back. 3 wins though ? defo a deserved bottom-half place.
Saha was dogshit again, too many touches, does not release it early enough. We will be stuffed without Pienaar (if he goes) and Cahill in January.This season is a washout already, away draws at places like Blackpool, Sunderland is not European places form, neither are home draws to Wolves, Bolton etc. 3 wins all season... we'll just hover betwen 16th and 12th for the rest of the season. Mediocrity is what we are and where we will stay unless there is a drastic change of tactics and system by the manager.
FUCKING SHOOT, WILL YA!!!
As for Sunderland's second goal, yes he was slack, but it was an awful pass from Baines that put him in trouble.
Who can say he is not worth at least the same as Arteta? Arteta should be dropped!!! He has been lethargic in comparison. OK there is no-one making the runs for him to pass on to... but, hey, he is supposed to be the best player we have had for 20 years!!! Appears that "The Crab", Ray Wilkins has been coaching him.
It´s time for Arteta to take a look around and follow the example of Pienaar and Cahill and pull his finger out.
Saha was a waste of time, don't think he had a shot on goal. When Beckford came on, at least he wasn't frightened of having a go.
Baines had a good game, never gave up.
Saha ? January sale.Arteta ? spell on the bench.Jagielka ? stop hoofing and falling over.
Neville ? stop hoofing and passing to opposition.Pienaar ? give him what he wants.Moyes ? how the fuck do you get away with it?
For months I have criticised his faith in a lone striker when it is quite clear that we do not have anyone capable at that kind of role. It has taken a bit longer for some but more and more people are beginning to recognise that Moyes is in a defensive straight jacket of his own making.
I would love to be proved wrong but while he is manager, or unless he has a road-to-Damascus revelation, we will never again qualify for Europe.
Had it not been for our little Aussie battler, the situation would be more desperate than it already is and Moyes would be enjoying a taxi ride. Lack of funds does not excuse abysmal tactics, nor does it excuse an inability to read the flow of a game or poor team selections or timing and deployment of substitutes.
Three wins and world beaters WBA in town next weekend. Moyes will be back to 4-5-1 again.
I have been supporting my loyal Blues since 1989 and we have only won ONE thing since, I can't honestly see where our next cup or league (ha ha ha) is going to come from. Frustrated with them.
Arteta is well out of form but it fucking pisses me off when I see Arteta standing in front of the back four because JH has made one of those mad charges out of position at a ball he could never win.Change it for fuck's sake!
Have to agree with those who've already pointed out the fact that, just as the Yak appeared to be recovering some semblance of his old form, he gets relegated to the subs bench and is replaced by the totally ineffective Saha.Arteta and Johnny were both atrocious tonight so Moyes decides to sub Coleman? I had real sympathy for Coleman tonight ? he got sod-all support from anyone absolutely zilch from the central pairing and nothing form Neville. When he did manage to slip his marker, Neville couldn't find him with a pass, not even from two or three yards away. Yet when he had the opposition sticking to him like glue Neville would attempt to pass to him.Then he gets replaced by Rodwell? One thing Rodwell did do was introduce a physical presence with some decent challenges; unfortunately, we needed that kind of presence in the middle of the park. What on earth was Moyes thinking about?The stand-out performers for me were Pienaar, Baines, Jagielka and Cahill. Given that the latter will be off in January, we really could be in for a very difficult period if we cannot accrue much-needed points between now and his departure.
We played an in-form team on their own pitch, a team that beat Chelsea 3-0 last week. Football is a game of luck and on another day we would have hammered Sunderland despite four players not living up to their reputations... and we desperately miss Fellaini.
We've hardly had one lucky break this season, we haven't even had a penalty awarded yet their second goal should never have been allowed ? A blatant offside...
Moan about Moyes all you like, he's not going anywhere which is about the only decent thing Kenwright has ever done.
Yes, he looks uncomfortable playing out of position... but he remains one of the few that can actually pass a ball to a team mate more than 20 metres away. In fact, he does the right thing and plays short passes that will hit the target. He didn't stand out at all but I don't think he was the worst on show.
For me, Arteta should have gone at half-time. In the last 2 games, he has undoubtedly played his worst football. He is a yard off the pace. Everyone has a bad spell so give him a rest.
As for the criticism of Saha, I think all 3 of the strikers have had a run at playing that "lone" striker role and, as you might expect, nobody has succeeded. That's Moyes's fault ? not any of the strikers.
On the subject of Moyes and his mind-blowing decisions to put subs on with 10 mins to go... well, what can you say ? other than Pathetic. His assistant must be terrified to say anything because every football fan worth their salt knows that giving someone 10 mins (max) to get into the game is a nonsense, particularly given the way we were performing.
Neville, well he is a leader but that's about all; I am afraid his constant waste of possession and inability to cross is just infuriating. I would do a Capello and play Jags at right back and play Heitinga where he should be playing. Not sure how we have managed to concede so few goals (up until the last 2 games anyway) because the defence looks anything but comfortable.Another 3 points for the taking but how many times could we say that? Situation normal, not good enough and Moyes's selection policy has a lot do with that.
If DM did go or was shoved (highly unlikely), who do you think would be a good replacement? We could end up with Gordon Lee again?
Distin, Jags at the back and Baines going forward were our best with Cahill and Pienaar further forward the only threat...
Arteta does need a rest and Becks should be tried up front with either the Yak or Saha. We put lots of effort and a semblance of guile in against the best Sunderland side I have seen for ages... they broke very quickly and Jags and Distin had to be at their best and protected Howard very well in the main.
I would play:
Howard; Neville, Jags, Distin, Baines; Coleman, Rodwell, Cahill and Pienar; Beckford and either Saha or the Yak, with Arteta on the bench for a game or two... If Fellaini is available then Coleman makes way.
Moyes needs to find some balls and start making some tough decisions, Saha should've been off at halftime. Neville should've been subbed instead of Coleman, at least he can pass to another guy in blue. Neville needs to be dropped, flogged, shot... whatever ? along with Saha.
While giving 100% effort again, Coleman isn't a right winger, he's a full back ? play him there and get Neville off the books, time's up. Our problem is we never get rid of players when we should, quite a few are due for a step down.
Bloody Aussies will be the death of Everton. (Tongue in cheek, by the way.)
Posting comments on this page is okay, but to get the attention where it matters, all the above comments must be sent directly, by snail mail, to Goodison Park. Also let Moyes know how we're feeling at the upcoming home games ? then he will walk... he has said he will do so if the fans don't want him.
Why do we always fall back to our 18-yard line and press the panic button once we get a one-goal lead? It's ridiculous. Sunderland were there for the taking last night, but in the end we were lucky to get a point.I think David Moyes better be careful because, if he doesn't change his ways soon, then not only are the majority of fans going to turn on him but we will also find ourselves in a totally unnecessary relegation dog fight.I asked this question last week on another thread and I'll ask it again: Why is Yakubu not starting? He was just coming back to form, working much harder for the team, scored his first goal of the season against Stoke... and then DM relegates him to the bench and chooses Sick Note to lead the line! WTF?!?If I had my way, I would have stopped Saha and Arteta's wages last night as they were both totally inept. Arteta may have scored a defleted goal but he was still piss-poor for 99% of the game. And as for Neville, why the fuck does he never shoot? A clear shooting chance last night in the second half and he bottled it. AAAAARRGGGGHHH!!!!ps: A message to DM:- If you want your strikers to take their chances, then give them more game time and they might just do the business. Don't just give then 10 minutes and expext them to get you out of the shit everytime.
Heitinga is by far a better CB than CM but all he seems interested in doing is getting booked, his attitude seems off to me at the moment. Saha though for me was a disgrace, Yak has to start versus West Brom. Thank God for Tim Cahill, can we put to bed the thought that he should be out of the team now ,please.
It was undoubtedly a 4-4-2 and I do belive Moyes was out to win this one from the start.
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* Everton deducted 8 pts; †Forest deducted 4 pts for PSR breachView full table
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