FAN ARTICLES
Has The Penny Dropped ?
What I don't understand, though, is what's gone on? Has David Moyes had his epiphany, his moment of truth? Something has changed but I am not complaining one bit. I like it and want more of the same.
How good does it feel when you watch Everton play proper footie instead of hoofball? How good does it feel when you see Blue shirts picking out other Blue shirts with sharp quick passing? How good does it feel when you watch your side keep possession and think about using the ball correctly? How good does it feel when you watch the lads bang in cracking goals from open play [Yakubu bashers take note]?
Well to me it feels fucking great. It's all I ever ask for and all I ever want from the team and the manager. Now I know Larissa and Derby County are little better than eleven traffic cones out on the pitch but thats missing the point .We achieved more than just victory with these two wins. We gave the doubters like me something to cling on to for the rest of the season. I don't think I could have stomached much more of that long ball shite. So it's well done Moyes for the re-think.
Jimmy Greaves is right; it is a funny old game this football malarky. Just as we become the Arsenal of the North the Red Shite turn in to the Premier League's new Hoofball supremos. Unreal. Don't you just love it? Arsenal fans goading the Kopites at Anfield about how shite they are. HOOF THE BALL, HOOF THE BALL. Priceless. "I don't know how you watch this shit," I said to a Kopite in the boozer. They hate the thought that they have now become a Spanish Alehouse side. It sure tickles me though.
I will be in Germany next week for the Uefa Cup tie with Nuremberg and I hope we can take our new-found playing style on to a big stage like that and turn on the style. If we can come away with something from there then that will do for me but it will also create more problems for the team. The knockout stages will be on the cards and I don't see how we can cope if we also stay in the Worthless League Cup.
I reckon we should put the reserves in for the Luton tie and take it on the chin if we get beat. There's no way we can play on four fronts and hope to do any good with a squad so small. The League cup should be sacrificed.
I never thought I would be saying this after the start to the season but we could be on the brink of something special... that's if we dont revert back to you-know-what. Surely now even Moyes must realise the squad is too talented to play cart horse football? They have proved they are much better than that.
Let's hope the manager keeps the faith and keeps the ball on the carpet where it belongs. Who knows, maybe then Eastlands might not be just a dream come May... COYBs
Reader Comments (48)
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2 Posted 31/10/2007 at 08:07:23
Moyes is desperate for silverware and will take any cup that comes. We are all desperate for silverware and to be honest most of us will take any cup that comes. Do not expect anything other than something near the best eleven against Luton or whom ever we get next when Luton are beaten. I for one will settle for a second rate cup this season a good run in Europe and 4th place, I would also settle for the RS being relegated but that’s a little too optimistic.
COYB
3 Posted 31/10/2007 at 09:02:48
Nice to see some words of encouragement for the management and the team. A refreshing change.
I would suggest that the change in the style of play is solely due to the return of key personnel. Cahill allows is to play the much derided 4-1-3-1-1 system and with Carsley/Neville/Jagielka sweeping up in front of the back 4 we are then able to play our better footballers in midfield without fear of being out muscled.
I do not think that David Moyes is an advocate of the long ball game at all. You only have to see the pleasure on his face after we produce a quality attacking move to see this. However when your central midfield consists of 2 of Jagielka/Carsley and Neville then long balls will always result.
Let’s just hope that at least one of Cahill or Gravesen stays fit for the rest of the season!
4 Posted 31/10/2007 at 09:08:17
I do not share your optimism. I suspect that the moment we play a team that Moyes perceives to be equal to or superior to us, we will be back to hoofball. Horses for courses ?
Good post though..
5 Posted 31/10/2007 at 09:18:48
I must say that the style of play is being dictated by the opposition and also the player that we have at that point. Having Cahill to the lineup must have given the manager and the boys confidence to play the ball by the foot. I dont think this is a coincidence.
And I think teams get napping as they’re expecting us to play like we used to play all this while.. hoofball, and they got surprised. huhuhu
Its nice to see we win FOOTBALL in style and it definitely gives me HOPE, Tony!
6 Posted 31/10/2007 at 09:52:35
Sir, who are you and what have you done with the real Tony Marsh?
Seriously though, good post. Like you I pray the football’s allowed to continue.
7 Posted 31/10/2007 at 09:50:06
8 Posted 31/10/2007 at 10:02:45
I eventually became so confident as to mention that I was of another persuasion and that WE seemed to be putting the tactic behind us ! Imagine my surprise when my confession was met with ’But Moyes is half intelligent-not like the Spanish prat we’re blessed with!’
I just hope ’our man’wont revert to type just as we seem to have turned the corner and darkness is descending on another area of the City!
9 Posted 31/10/2007 at 10:14:17
10 Posted 31/10/2007 at 10:14:45
The more the team passes and moves, the better they will get at it. All the great sides have to resort to hoofball and backs to the wall defending from time to time. They also know how and when to pass and move and raise their game up a few gears.
The debate about formations is irrelevant. If you have flexible players comfortable with the ball - particularly with some of the multi-position players we have - let them use their talent and shift position to suit.
4-5-1 was successful a few years ago because we defended well and were a surprise packet. The minute everyone knew our style, they countered it, we had no other ideas and struggled.
Now we have what is on paper, the best squad we’ve had for some time. So let’s carry on letting them play and give us more of the same?
11 Posted 31/10/2007 at 11:03:44
13 Posted 31/10/2007 at 11:27:21
With tonights game and Birmingham next in the league theres a real chance of four wins on the spin. I understand James Vaughan could feature later and i am willing to bet he will score at some point if given a chance. Also anichebe should be given a starting berth. In 2-3 years we could have a real gem of a player commanding a tidy sum. But for now lets keep him at goodison and nurture him into an even better player than we already have.
I hope tonight david does not play his hoofball (been bled to death that term), as johnson and yakubu will run all day but its no good when incoming balls are flying over their heads. I’d like to remind you that Duncan is no longer with us.
14 Posted 31/10/2007 at 12:00:11
Anyone thinks otherwise is a mad-cow eating eskimo kopite.
15 Posted 31/10/2007 at 12:33:52
"Oooh Ooh, good post Tony, nice words Tony, three bags full Tony"
Its like you’re scared of him or something!
"Thank God he’s saying something nice this time and not shouting at me using the power of letters!"
This is not a knock on Mr Marsh by the way, just the people who act like he’s some kind of evil over lord on the message board who feel the need to seduce the beast before the make a comment.
"Great post Tony, the Best I’ve ever read, better on anything Graham Green, Karl Marx and Charles Dickens has ever written. In fact I would say its on par with the Bible.....its just that id ont think your comments blah blah blah"
16 Posted 31/10/2007 at 12:40:14
Us Moyes’ supporters have been saying judge the man once he has his better midfielders back and low and behold we play better football with our better midfielders back - it’s not rocket science is it?
Anyway, keep up the positive thinking mate and as you say we might be on to something special here.
17 Posted 31/10/2007 at 12:45:00
18 Posted 31/10/2007 at 12:54:07
I don’t particularly care if some will say we never had to face the big teams, just bring on some silverware, it’s been twelve years too long.
19 Posted 31/10/2007 at 13:08:47
Why put the Carling Cup down? We are 3 matches from Wembley and it gives us a route into Europe should we not qualify through the league.
Also, do you think the change in tactics is because of Tim Cahill returning to the team? It can’t just be coincidence surely.
20 Posted 31/10/2007 at 13:21:07
21 Posted 31/10/2007 at 13:11:37
22 Posted 31/10/2007 at 14:13:41
23 Posted 31/10/2007 at 14:32:19
We should go out with exactly the same philosophy against Birmingham....a team that can play nice passing football (like we can) and get mean when we have to (like we have seen) tend to win things....Its a matter of finding the balance.
24 Posted 31/10/2007 at 14:32:25
25 Posted 31/10/2007 at 14:48:00
26 Posted 31/10/2007 at 14:56:28
Hoofball should be reserved for late in the game desperation tactics if all else has failed.
I disagree with sacrificing the League Cup it is an easier road to the UEFA Cup than the league as most of the big guns put out the reserves such as Utd and though in the case of Arsenal it doesnt matter it is a chance to get to Wembley and get in the UEFA Cup.
27 Posted 31/10/2007 at 14:58:02
28 Posted 31/10/2007 at 15:51:17
29 Posted 31/10/2007 at 16:31:21
I always have and still de believe that the most effective formation in modern football is 4-1-4-1 formation which can change to a 4-1-2-3 with effective wide men a la Arteta and pienaar.
The future’s bright the futute is royal blue!!
30 Posted 31/10/2007 at 16:35:09
However, as hoofball is about creating chances by statistics, the team may be ’coming under the radar’ with joined up football when the situation presents itself... cool. But against shite it will work, better teams no.
31 Posted 31/10/2007 at 16:40:09
I will try to get through this without mentioning Derek mountfield or 1985,
Oops, too late.
32 Posted 31/10/2007 at 16:58:01
All things must come to pass Ladies and Gentlemen long may it continue.
Thank god the site is back up, well done Web Men !
33 Posted 31/10/2007 at 17:51:16
"What I don’t understand, though, is what’s gone on? Has David Moyes had his epiphany, his moment of truth?"
I dont think it is either of those things. Moyes has now realized if you play your best players you will win more than you lose. Quite frankly the likes of Hibbert and Neville are not our best players and Moyes should not bring them in just to please them. If he does I’ll be disappointed.
34 Posted 31/10/2007 at 17:50:14
35 Posted 31/10/2007 at 17:55:03
36 Posted 31/10/2007 at 17:45:48
PS Tried to get an everton shirt at the Arndale centre in luton this afternoon but apparently manchester united, arsenal, and of course the red shite seem to be all the rage in bedfordshire at the moment. No sign of luton town shirts for some reason!!
If tonight we can get through, I feel there is a real chance we could go all the way this year. Why not?
And one more thing mr moyes, please dont "hoof the ball" tonight. Ive already been to the ground ahead of time and from what i can see the ball boys will have their work cut going in to neighbouring gardens with this style of play.
Im sorry ive strayed from the topic in question but im looking forward going to the game. And also meeting thousands of our supporters. maybe even one of you here. Its a small world.
37 Posted 31/10/2007 at 18:03:36
38 Posted 31/10/2007 at 19:19:59
THERE ARE CERTAINLY AT LEAST TWO OF ’EM!
39 Posted 31/10/2007 at 19:36:25
It can’t be him, it just can’t be.... If it is Tony, then, then, then.... I’m going out, getting p****d because we could win the Prem this year, as now I believe miracles do happen after all
40 Posted 31/10/2007 at 20:24:09
41 Posted 31/10/2007 at 21:46:56
Save your fingers Tony, we’re all a bit disappointed by it as well.
42 Posted 01/11/2007 at 02:04:55
However there are still miseries huddled together in little corners spitting with rage at the good feelings most of the fanbase are currently enjoying but who cares about them - they can’t be REAL blues.
43 Posted 01/11/2007 at 09:45:22
44 Posted 01/11/2007 at 14:34:22
I can see it now HoooooF....hooooof..
45 Posted 01/11/2007 at 17:27:43
46 Posted 01/11/2007 at 18:05:47
I did not go to the game last night, but did enjoy the six or so minutes of ITV highlights(!)
It would be great to win it, even if it is devalued by most people, but after from what I have witnessed the past twenty years, beggars cannot be choosers.
47 Posted 01/11/2007 at 20:32:42
No Neville at CM
5 man midfield & the return of Cahill
with cameo’s from Tommy G
These factors combined have meant our play has improved.
Simple really.
p.s. Glad to see the Yak looking like he belongs now - if we continue to keep it on the deck the lad with score hatfulls.......
48 Posted 02/11/2007 at 03:05:11
49 Posted 02/11/2007 at 12:39:56
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1 Posted 31/10/2007 at 05:51:28
I agree that while two games a saeson does not make - the football we are playing here is certainly heading in the right direction - its no coincidence that the return of Timmy and Cars appears to have galvanised our midfield (please god let Nev and Jags never play midfield together again!) - though my only fear with this is the consequences of playing with a lone striker against the better clubs
I have a strange feeling though folks...its called hope! COYB!