ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Inconsistency and midtable mediocrity

There are a number of factors that are becoming increasingly frustrating this season, and I am beginning to feel a huge sense of underperformance and inconsistency flooding from Goodison. Here are a few points to discuss:

One clean sheet ? what a difference from our impeccable defence last season
We are dropping points in games which we were winning or drawing last year (Newcastle, Blackburn, Reading, Villa)
We are stuck in mid-table closer to the bottom three than we are to the top four.
We are nearing the dreaded Christmas period where we always struggle for form, so the next month is crucial
Most of our major signings are not adding anything to the team (Baines excluded).
None of the strikers are scoring on a consistent basis, and Moyes is not prepared to give anyone a proper run in the team to build some confidence. (This time last year, AJ had 7 in 7 or something like that)

These factors only add to the importance of Saturday?s game and, win or lose, this game may shape the season. I can?t help but think, with the new faces in the squad, and Moyes's well-known achievement patterns over the last five years, we may be destined for mid-table mediocrity once more.
Chris Masey, Leeds Posted 15/10/2007 at 13:17:55

back Return to the Mail Bag

Comments

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer

Michael Kenrick

Oh now come on! I thought everyone was going to try and be positive, get behind the manager and the team in preparation for the big ritual slaughter... You're rocking the boat, Chris!!!

Eddie Harrison
1 Posted 15/10/2007 at 14:42:00

How are we closer to the bottom 3 than top four. Even if there is a catstrophe this weekend we’ll still be at least three points from relegation abd couldn’t drop below 12.

A win and good results elsewhere could see us in fifth behind liverpool only on goal difference (thanks for that Derby County).

I know its a frustrating time but lets not exaggerate.

Tony Marsh
2 Posted 15/10/2007 at 14:59:12

Well thats my positive vibe destroyed.Is it really that bad?I have tried to put to bed all >the bad things we have seen this season but I guess its hard to totally blank it all out.Chris is right though we need to improve on what has gone on so far this season to have any chance on Saturday.How about Gerrard tweaking his knee on the Russian Astro turf on Wednesday.That would be a nice start.

Michael Newton
3 Posted 15/10/2007 at 15:05:50

A thing alot of our clean sheets were down to Carsleys role in front of the defence. This season he hasnt played as much, neither Jagielka or Neville are as good in that area of the field.
Secondly Hibbert & Yobo have been in indifferent form.

Our tactics dont help ping the ball upfield it pings back at you, we need to hold the ball up to give the defence time to regroup and get their shape back but at times the ball comes straight back at us.

Eddie Harrison
4 Posted 15/10/2007 at 15:13:33

As long as Gerrard plays to the same standard he did for England in mid-week then i’ll be happy. Either he’s as overrated as Lampard or training with Phil Neville must have a detrimental affect to a mnas first touch and ability to find a pass let alone pass the ball. Maybe both.

Chris Masey
5 Posted 15/10/2007 at 15:07:55

My apologies for any negativity. I was simply trying to point out some facts that are really frustrating me this year, and I won’t accept midtable mediocrity again, which is what I feel is happening, especially when we have so much potential in the squad. We are owed a big performance, and I will be supporting the team as positively as ever from my seat this saturday. Its not just the manager, a number of players have been below par in recent weeks, so its time to stand up and be counted.

Gavin Ramejkis
6 Posted 15/10/2007 at 15:48:06

Think we need to see some consistency across the back four before we ask why we are leaking goals, although slow Stubbs as the chargehand and Lescott or Yobo under his control every week would settle the defence, stopping the RS in midfield is essential if we are to get something from this game, shackle their midfield and they are a very poor side.

Richard Dodd
7 Posted 15/10/2007 at 15:59:10

Only on this site are Evertonians forecasting trouble for us in overcoming Lverpool on Saturday.Davey will pick the side he feels will gain the points but even if we were to lose we would still be in the top ten.I know there are plenty who feel we should be champions year in year out but the vast majority of realists only expect to see us in the top half.
As Davey often says,’Everton weren’t doing that before we came here’.

Brian Noble
8 Posted 15/10/2007 at 16:07:17

Am I the only one sick of Richard Dodd?I used to find him amusing but he now invades every thread with asinine comments in support of his hero Moyes who has cocked up big time this season with at least two crap signings and some bizarre team selection.
Mediocre is us!

Eddie Harrison
9 Posted 15/10/2007 at 16:15:30

Of course at the moment it is unrealistic to expect championships, but it is not unrealistic to expect progress from last year with a supposedly improved squad, or at the very least finish in the same position and give the red shite a bloody nose on the way.

Steve Lyth
10 Posted 15/10/2007 at 17:03:51

A decent performance would be a change, a good result Saturday sets us right up for the european game.
C,mon you Blues, lets make a noise at the weekend

Gavin Ramejkis
11 Posted 15/10/2007 at 17:15:26

There’s a saying of treat each day like it’s your last so you make sure you enjoy it, well to me if you don’t go into a football match wanting and trying to win it there is no point turning up at all, mid table should never be an aspiration whether you are capable or not you go for it.

Tommy Coleman
12 Posted 15/10/2007 at 17:25:33

Ignore Dodd, he’s on another wind up.
COYB !

Al Dugan
13 Posted 16/10/2007 at 03:27:22

Now now boys...It’s Derby week....where is our compassion...I got in trouble with the guys last week for being impolite to the slaggers of the manager....but here they come again...how about a truce until next Saturday around 3pm????? Let’s figure out the way we are going to put them away, and keep the negativity to a minimum...okay? even Tony was helpful in being positive....Torres is out...Faddy will be on fire still, and we are going to win the damn thing with a goal or two or maybe a repeat of the clown Reina handing us a third.

Okay...no more negativity until 3pm sat, and then you can fire away at us half full guys or vice versa...and please if we win the damn thing who cares how we do it...really....what do you think?

CYOB....

Paul OHanlon
14 Posted 16/10/2007 at 10:08:54

I think mid table mediocrity was always going to be on the cards this season with our involvement in the Uefa Cup. If we get past Luton in the League Cup we could be going into the new year competing in 4 competitions, just as Spurs did last season. They struggled in the league right up until the last couple of months when they put together a run to 5th place.

I’m not having a go at the team, I just don’t think the squads big enough to be winning two big games a week.

rob jones
15 Posted 18/10/2007 at 13:25:21

oh my god kenrick have you got something against me, I put a comment up telling people to be more positive and leave moyes alone and then you turned it down because I had a little dig at some everton fans, and now you are telling people to be more positive, ridiculous!