ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

How much further can David Moyes take Everton FC

I am no way being hostile towards Moyes and think he has done a decent job under the financial constraints. But have we improved in our style of play?

Someone said on Saturday that if you gave David Moyes a 100 million quid to spend, his brand of football of long balls, bad passing and lacking in any great imagination when it comes to the final third of the pitch would continue. So, if my mate is right, has Moyes taken us as far as he can or is there more to come? Is the glass half-empty or half-full.

Finishing sixth does raise people's expectations for this season but personally I don?t see any great improvement from last season in our play. We will always be a difficult side to beat because we can defend with men behind the ball but this impedes us going forward, that?s why we play the long ball bypassing the midfield.
Mick McCabe, Liverpool Posted 16/09/2007 at 22:45:42

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Michael Kenrick

Mick, I don't know if you're a new reader, but we have ad this (or similar) as a recurrent theme in the maibag for quite a while now. Personally, I think it's a little early in the season to be asking that question, prefering to see what (if anything) is different about our European adventure this time versus last. But I won't deny you the opportunity to flush out all the Moues worshippers and the Moyes doubters for yet another round.

One plea to all respondents: see if you make your arguements without resorting to the "five years ago look where we were: relegation canditates" type of comments. We all know that. It's now ancient history.

This is now Moyes's sixth year. Try to focus on where we are now, the players we have now, how we play now, and look forward, as Mick is asking, rather than boring us all yet again with the selective regurgitation from both sids of the fence on what Moyes has/has not done in his now very long Everton career. Thanks!

ps: Anyone mentioning Walter Smith will be banned!

Michael Tracey
1 Posted 17/09/2007 at 06:59:08

Walter Smith.

Michael Tracey
2 Posted 17/09/2007 at 07:07:16

See what I did there, it was a little funny! I think unless Moyes starts making some hard decisions in relation so players (Hibbert), (Neville)His best position in the team, then i think we will stay there and there abouts where we are!

John Holmes
3 Posted 17/09/2007 at 08:08:22

I don’t really understand. Ok the football’s not pretty and we all know the reasons for that which Moyes to his credit has tried to address by signing Gravesen and Pineaar (and trying to sign Fernandes). But we were 3rd before losing to the champions. We qualified for Europe last season and look capable of building on that this year. I’m not quite sure how you can claim Moyes has stalled just 4 months after progress was clearly made.

Whilst he certainly isn’t above criticism, Everton fans calling for Moyes’ head are up there in the foolisness stakes with Spurs’ fans baying for Jol’s blood.

Ray
4 Posted 17/09/2007 at 08:26:24

First things first..Our style of play will never change no matter how much money we have and who we sign bevause they are the traits of the management and coach just as no matter who Arsenal sign whether its a big name or a unknown they will always play some of the best football you are ever liable to see..We have to admit that..I admit I enjoy watching the way Arsenal play but thats a Wenger trait and it has been from the day he arrived at Arsenal, he won the title in his second season there and took over them when they were relativly shite I remember.. Moyes brand of football wont change but what we have to look at is at the moment we have the best squad in years and its still early days in terms of blending them together and what we do need is a long term replacement for the departed Fernandes and while Gravesen will hopefully do for now at least until January we need a younger version..If anything having Fernandes here last season gave us all a glimpse of what we have been shouting that Everton has needed for God knows how many years now..Now that we havent got him anymore it does leave alot of pressure on Arteta who hasnt really started this season most probably also down to the fact he is being more closely watched by teams now they know he is Evertons main source of creation.. Its too early to get carried away yet..Ok we havent got going this season but I think the next few weeks when Europe kicks in will give us a more true view on the situation..Europe will either help us or it will destroy us..Maybe then we can look back and judge where it went wrong or laud it if it went right.

Chris Taggart
5 Posted 17/09/2007 at 08:43:23

Could you not ask the question "How much further can Everton take David Moyes?"

Steve Lyth
6 Posted 17/09/2007 at 10:04:25

Wolfy do uou knock around with Doddy or what ?

Adam Carey
7 Posted 17/09/2007 at 11:02:56

I think that the key problem is our midfield. Until we can better compliment Arteta we will always be liable to hoof down the channels.
I think that Moyes, being a defender, has sorted out all our issues at the back and in my opinion we have one of the best defences in the league. Again up front we have pace, (AJ), goalscoring ability, (Yakubu), McFadden and two raw but exciting youngsters.
Moyes needs to now do all he can to get the midfield right. Arteta on his day is a world beater but he is surrounded by lightweight but skillful players or defensive midfielders.
We have shown for brief periods that we have the ability to pass it around but we have no-one to find that killer pass along the floor. If Moyes can spend his kitty on a real playmaker then I believe you will start to see a more patient and exciting style of play. The trouble so far has been making do and nicking points.

Steve Ryan
8 Posted 17/09/2007 at 13:57:27

So, what we are saying here is that in his search for quality midfielders, it may take Moyes possibly 6 to 7 years to produce a team capable of playing basic football i.e. regularly making 3 or more passes to feet without reverting to the big welly. The next step will then to win trophies. Are we talking 10 to 15 years here? Jesus, how our standards have fallen.

Mark Stone
9 Posted 17/09/2007 at 14:35:55

Apologies to the lads at Toffeeweb HQ as I’ve just posted a similar thread having not read this one!

I personally think it would be difficult to get any higher in the league, no matter who was in charge. The top four are better than us (and 16 other prem teams) and getting better because they have more money to spend and can guarantee Champions League. Spurs also seem to have a fortune at their disposal.

As for the cups well there’s an element of luck there i.e. who you get drawn against and because it’s a one off. We could win a cup but wouldn’t necessarily be a quantifiable sign of progress. As I’ve said countless times I’d rather be safe in the prem by Feb and battling for 4th spot than winning the FA cup but biting my nails on the last day of the season, to see if we were still going to be in the premiership next year.

Yes our standards have fallen since the glory days but they’ve risen since the 90’s - our past doesn’t give us a god given right to trophies - neither does Nottingham Forests or Aston Villa’s.

Derek Thomas
10 Posted 17/09/2007 at 07:53:42

Baring a major meltdown prior to the ground move I don't see Bill getting rid of Moyes.

But in Parliamentary terms we are into the 2nd term. This sometimes leads to a re-shuffle to gee up the line up. Remember Harvey's promotion? Bill might be prepared to sack Irvine and appoint a more 'joined up' partner to balance out the perceived negativity and caution in Moyes.

Thommo Gibbons
11 Posted 17/09/2007 at 16:15:37

Bugger me! And there I was thinking I was getting a grip of this. You tell me that Everton have everyone behind the ball and then bypass midfield with a long ball aimed at who exactly? I know, I know, it never quite explains itself properly and I?m a bit pissed off today.

David Moyes
12 Posted 18/09/2007 at 15:50:44

Moyes is the man. Just look where we were 6 years ago under Walter Smith. Now we’ve qualified for Europe. Some people have short memories. Who would you have, Smith or Moyes? We should be grateful that we’ve got Moyes because he is better than Smith. Remember nearly getting relegated under Smith? Moyes has moved us on to challange for Europe. Moyes, I think, is the business. The alternative, which would see us dodging relegation (or worse) under Smith is unthinkable.

Mike Neely
13 Posted 19/09/2007 at 14:42:26

Michael Kenrick is right,it,s too early to be asking that sort of question.All this crap about hoofball,balls over the top,bypassing midfield,does no one remember the Spurs game when the southern press were purring about us?Was that Moyes,s team playing ?Or did they just go onto the pitch and make it up as they went along?I don,t think so.
And please no one tell me that it was a one off.We,ve played some decent stuff so far.Lets see what happens when players are fit and we get a new right back.