That's quite a strong line to take, Ged, and I can understand it... but I know for sure there are plenty who will reject your analysis out of hand. I think the key is the importance of the cup game... or lack there of. Just try telling yourself that winning in the Third Round of the FA Cup is really not that important... you may need to repeat it a few times... and eventually everything will feel okay again and you'll be able to appreciate what a wonderful season we are having.

I’ve stated on this site before that David Moyes just isn’t good enough when things start to go wrong. I have a feeling that he is going to prove me right over the next couple of weeks.

Perhaps we should accept that we can’t perform well in every game, every team has bad days, we have had ours today.

The team he put out should have won, but certain players were below par.

You also need to appreciate that its the manager who has brought in the talent that has given us an excellent run in the league and cups.

I can understand some may not appreciate Moyes because some of us have a Geordie-esque approach to the team. I was once like that, sick of the crap and wanted to see instant results. Thing is top 4 teams are hard to break at the moment, and that is purely financial backing, that doesn’t seem to be stopping them getting stronger.

Also today, imagine if we had scored before they did, we would have taken a different approach on the game, as it happens we were chasing far too early, where we needed composure.

Its also worth noting that we rested only 3 players today, and two of them played for 30 minutes.

Its just one of those games.

@Andy,

Well he is setting himself up for a fall isn’t he. I truly believe that there are some fans here that will only be satisfied with Moyes if he delivers a trophy. Yet many managers outside of the top 4 have won nothing.

He has taken us from relegation fodder to last 32 of Uefa Cup, and semi finals in Carling Cup. Please name me a manager that has done the same outside of the top 4?

Ged and Andy, please get a grip on reality here. Would you be coming on praising the man to be a messiah had we won today?? No. So why castigate the manager for a freak result that happens every so often. Today is embarassing but it is not the end of our season nor is it the drama you seems to make it out to be.
We are playing some of the most positive football in years and mving forward so visibly that to lambast Moyes now seems wholy disproportionate.

Lets have a petition to sack him a lot of the contributors will feel better

5 years of misery, failing at every first hurdle every time in the competition, he has found his level - bellow average first division manager.

@Niall,

Like I have said in an earlier post, some people do wait for Moyes to fail. Which really isn’t fair on the guy.

But it doesn’t matter, because the Moyes doubters are in the minority, and there opinion I’m happy to say means absolutely sod all.

I hear the songs at Goodison, they love the manager, and with good reason too.

@Stefan,

Freedom of speech is just so wrong isn’t it? 5 years of misery? Did you not see us dislodge Liverpool for 4th spot? Do you not know who we are playing on Tuesday and in what round? Do you not know that we are in the last 32 in the Uefa Cup.

Do you not know that we have the Sky’s Midfielder of the Year and our striker Yakubu has the best conversion rate of anyone in 2007?

I?d have been far more pissed of at this time on a Saturday night if we?d lost 1-0 to say a Derby or a Wigan. I was infinitely more pissed off (for different reasons) after the derby defeat, but look at the springboard that turned out to be. Some good may come out of today in that Moyes might finally realise what TW posters have been saying is really true - Hibbo, McFad and Gravesen really are crap (can anybody tell me what those three earned in wages today?), and maybe, just maybe he?ll do something about it. The alternative is that we?re now on a slippery slope wih a depleted squad staring mid-table mediocrity in the face.

Today was a bad day and made even worse by the fact that it happened in the cup where you dont get a chance to put it right the next week, however, the players today were easily capable of seeing off Oldham and it is them on the pitch who let us down today, every fan for the last few weeks since we found out we had Oldham at home was happy because it ment Moyes could rest our key men and now he is getting slagged off for doing just that!

@ Nick,

this is called irony, I am just fed up with the knee jerk reactions here.

We underestimated them, played bad and lost - I am also upset but every time we lose its the end of the world and Moyes has taken us as far as he can, every time we are on a good run there pops up someone te tell us "to put the things in perspective"

So out from underneath the rocks do all the Moyes haters come now! Unbelieveable! Yes today's result was very poor and why not have a little moan, its worthy of one, but for gods sake let's not now flip this coin over to the doom and gloom side again eh?!

With the exception of Howard, I was happy with DM?s changes today and felt the team he put out (whilst significantly weaker than our best) was way good enough to get the job done. Of course we can all look back now and say "He shouldn?t have rested so and so", but for me its just one of those days! I?m annoyed about the result, I?m annoyed with a couple of Moyes decisions, but I?m extremely happy with Moyes and Everton this season.

We are not the finished article of course, but its another mini blip in an excellent run. On the whole were seeing better football, more goals, a better squad, many more wins than we have been used to for years and we are now genuine top 5 or 6 material as a minimum. Every team will have a bad day or two, no matter how good or bad that team may be. Its easy to forget that when things have been going so well.

Also to the doom mungers who will now be saying "Its the start of the end" and "Our lucks run out".....the same things were said by some after the Arsenal game and we bounced back with a great away win at Middlesbrough. We?re gonna be ok and this FA Cup wound will heal without leaving too big a scar on our season!

Agree with the last 3 posts above mine and pretty much all 3 of them have most of the points I was going to make! I?m angry about today, but its a ?one off? angry and I?m certainly not going to join the fickle bunch who now think the world of Everton is Caving in! COYB!

I wonder if Man United fans were saying Alex Ferguson ’simply isn’t good enough’ after they were dumped out of the Carling Cup at the first hurdle by lower league opposition? Talk about over-reacting!
Oh and if you remember, Moyes also fielded a much weakened side at Alkmaar (an infinitely better side than Oldham) and we won with ease. It was not Moyes’ fault today, it was the players who had an off-day. It happens from time to time and in all fairness, it’s the first one we’ve had in three months.

@Stefan,

Ok, didn’t realise.

I think its wrong to blame individuals today.The manager picked the side and fucked up.
Now I like Moyes and do not want him to go but any manager with brains must know if you have a few enforced changes Cahill , Osman , Arteta you dont weaken the side any more by leaving only 2 first choice players on the pitch (Carsley and Pienaar).
No wonder the players didnt know what to do.

Sean, the manager admitted it was his fault on MOTD, chew that one over.
Moyes deserves his plaudits when they are due, today he deserves a few brick bats.
Moyes haters my arse, realists more like.

I found today?s game to be a bit of a wierd one. We were crap in most departments, we should have won the game on the balance of play, they scored a goal that never should have happened and battled well but were not exactly a real threat . If only one of our early attempts had gone in we would have walloped them. I think it was just one of "them games" , As soon as I couldn?t get down Goodison Road and had to walk along Gwladys St and Bullens Rd to get to the Park End and when I got there they opened the road up again. I knew it was gonna be one of those days, so blame me !

Why has anyone who criticises Moyes got to hate him? And for that matter why are pro Moyes apologists have both praised and criticised him so what am I? (be nice) I would rather find out the strength of the squad now then have played a full first team because while there is the slightest chance we get displace the dark side in the top four that should be our main aim, and now we know where we need to spend any cash we have

To Steve Lyth - what the fuck else was Moyes to do - bag his players in public like Fat Sam Allardice. I’d guess his comments were those of any responsible leader of a group of peolple, ie "the buck stops with me".

I haven’t seen the game as I live in NZ (we don’t get coverage of the FA Cup until the latter stages) and can’t therefore comment on the performance but I am glad Moyes didn’t come out and slag the team or individuals.

As for the implication from many that Moyes isn’t up to it, two points, both been made before I know, but here goes:

Who would you replace him with, and

On the budget he has, who has performed better outside the top 4 over the period he has been the manager.

I’m not saying he is above criticism, but shit some of the comments made are beyond belief and are less than constructive to say the least.

Good chance the first leg of the semi against Chelsea will be live on TV here and I’ll be up to watch it with the expectation that we’ll get a result. If we do, I’ll be straight on this site looking for the reaction and if not, I’ll still be on this site waiting for warnings that the sky is about to fall in and David Moyes is responsible for pulling it down.

It never ceases to amaze me...!

This is an Everton SUPPORTERS...website...But if we look back over the last 6 months..its the same people making the majority of posts..over the same subject....Their dislike , distrust or plain old hatred of the manager..
These posts always follow a defeat or draw...Obviously in the last 17 games the doom mongers have had to satisfy themselves with odd comments about the stadium on posts about our great undefeated run, our superb attacking play,and our fantastic goal return....while they wait for a defeat or a blip to come about...
I mean Ged Dwyer..ha ha ha..you are laughable.."Well, David, anyone who knows the fundamentals of football knows if you make too many changes to any team the understanding and team pattern goes and players will then under-perform. "...Another idiot with his head so far up his own arse who really believes that he could do a better job..
That he could take a team of perennial relegation strugglers into the Champions league (without a pot to piss in) that he could have lowered to age of that squad and changed the blend to such effect that that team are now EXPECTED to qualify foe Europe every season..to take that team to a cup semi final, to win a Uefa cup group where every team bar Larissa had a higher European ranking than ourselves and to win it with a 100% record...To beat teams such as Arsenal, Man utd, Liverpool, Spurs...and to damn himself by losing games to Shrewsbury and Oldham on days when his brilliantly assembled team had an off day and the opposition played above themselves...Yes Ged of course you could do better..how could a premiership "manager of the year" not bow down before your superior knowledge"?

Moyes picked a team that was more than capable of beating Oldhamb but because it was Oldham any number of chance happenings would have brought out the doom mongers..If he had had a complete suspension and injury free squad to choose from and had picked his best 11 and won say, 4 -0...But 4 key players get a kicking and cant play in the semi..well the "usual suspects" would again be out having a pop...just like they are now..
Pre season..it was "sign Nugent,Barton,Koumas..etc...and when he made better signings..did the same mob come out and praise him..NO..they wait,hiding behind the couch until they get the chance..just like today..and come out with some gems for us all to digest.."yet again Moyes has helped to cause another humiliation"...Great one that Ged..I know lets get that Mark Hughes instead, you know the one who,s team got knocked out of Europe by Larissa, the one who’s team wont be in a semi final on Tuesday..the one who’s team is below us in the league..and yes the same one who got 4 goals put past them at home by Coventry..!!

Or Better still Ged..lets give you the job

I agree with Micheal..It was a poor show by too many players..and Oldham scored a wonder goal..and Howard couldnt have saved it..cos he wasnt playing...

We have a fantastic team at the moment..ands its only going to get better, The main reason we have this team is David Moyes..but should the never happys and the doom mongers ever get their way..who Else..Mark Hughes(see above), Big Sam..?(soon to be available)..Martin O’neil?...(more money worse results)...

At the moment ...only Ferguson,Wenger,Mourinho..and the spaniard have better records...But you fools still want rid of Moyes...I hope all your kids get 10 A’s in their GCSE’s...cos i pity what might be said to them otherwise if you are all this unrealistic in your expectations..

A great man once said.."Nothing is surer in football, than disappointment"...

And nothing is surer than the same idiots shouting the same rubbish whhen we lose and going missing when we win.

Steve Lyth
Yes, Steve, Moyes did admit some things, he also said that the team we put out was good enough to win and it should have been. Once the players cross the white line there is little any manager can do, other than give instructions. He doesn?t misplace the passes or miss good chances, they do. Incidentally, I see your choice as successor to Moyes, Hughes, got well stuffed yesterday.

To Steve Lyth:

The players swere at fault. The team Moyes put out should have easily dealt with Oldham but shirked their responsibility.

The team was made up of many of the players who beat Alkmar - the difference was that they lacked desire to win this one! For example, Gravesen was an absolute disgrace. He strolled around like he could not be bothered. One of the lads i was at the match with said that the fastest burst Gravesen put in was when he left the pitch and he had a point.

Moyes has done well and now he needs the support of the board to move us onwards and upwards. Manny would be a good start but we still need more quality and strength in midfield.

If you want to stay in a competition you pick your best team, its that simple folks.

Terry Maddock, I happen to care deeply about Everton and I?m fed up of Everton being humiliated when it doesn?t need to happen. If you don?t want to take on the point made that?s up to you. The fact is you should ask yourself if the Everton team Moyes picked should have won the game, why didn?t it?

The buck stops with the manager. If this humiliation was a one-off I might give Moyes the benefit of the doubt but how many times has this happened now ? And yes, I could go into management and say "Give me 11 excellent players and I?ll do ok for you but, if there?s injuries, I?m sorry anyone can beat us." Pathetic.

...if you want to compete on four fronts simultaneously, you need a big enough squad to rotate, rather than rely on a single "best XI". It’s that simple, Steve Lyth.

...if you want to have a reasonable discussion with fellow Blues, don’t make extreme, simplistic statements that cannot be shown up for the nonsense they are. It’s that simple, Ged Dwyer.

Art who appointed you as chief forum spokesman ?
Stop dishing Greeth out lad ,I value everyones opinion please dont foist yours down all our throats.

I am sorry, but competing on four fronts simultaneously is not an excuse for losing a home match against a League one team in the FA Cup. The team should be able to beat Oldham at home even with a rotated side. We might have a small squad and may be resting important players ahead of a big semi-final, but no one can seriously look at yesterday’s defeat as anything other than embarassing because the players selected yesterday should have had enough passion and quality to win the game. If they don’t - they should not be at the club. Oldham played well but we did not play our Academy side. Some of the players on the pitch yesterday are contenders for a starting place in our first XI.

When the team loses a game it should win, it is only right that flak is dished out - after all, on this very forum, we rightly lauded outstanding performances this season (Alkmaar, Sunderland etc).

Additionally, the team’s tendency to produce appalling performances in the FA Cup 3rd round is becoming irritatingly repetitive. I was seething a the 4-1 home defeat to Blackburn last season and the defeat to Shrewsbury still rankles. That said, I accept in both those seasons the team went on to finish the season on a high and I hope for another repeat this season.

Bless! Steve Lyth coming over all tetchy.

Explain to me please:

1) how my post in reply to yours can be construed as "foisting my opinions down people’s throats", all the more so compared to your own strident postings?

2) how it can be construed that I have self-appointed myself as chief forum spokesman, whilst YOU tell ME effectively not to post?

3) how you square the claim that you "value everyones opinion" with the comments you make against me here?

I’ll be more honest and less contradictory than you Steve... whilst I respect the RIGHT to everyone having their opinion, it does not follow that I respect or agree with everyone’s opinion. I most certainly do not.

There is, however, a fundamental difference between us in how I respond to opinions I disagree with - I give reasons. You simply become abusive. And for this reason I do not respect nor give much credence to your opinion.

Now... isn’t that awful of me...? Tsk-tsk...

GED Dwyer,,,"If you don?t want to take on the point made that?s up to you. "

You havent made a point...The only fact in your feeble post ..is that we lost..

Your assumption that, another manager..even(ha ha ha ha ah) yourself could have avoided it with the same squad is quite frankly ridiculous....The team simply did not perform and Oldham (to their credit) performed way above themselves..I am not here to trade insults , but, by use of logic and fact,refute the poorly constructed statement that you have made...Nobody, myself and David Moyes included are happy with the result, yet after the fact(thats the result Ged) you have become a management genius..a person in your own words who could and would do a better job than our current manager, you ..on the same budget would have unearthed gems such as Arteta,Lescott and Cahill, you would have sent Ossie out on loan to help him improve, you would have kept Rooney happy, you would never have bought Beattie or Kroldrup...and under your skillful use of funds we would now be 50 million in the black..
I can only assume that the board have once again made an error of Kings Dock proportions by appointing DM in the 1st place and will immediately petition for his sacking and call for you Ged to be installed as his replacement..assuming of course they will let you out on Saturdays

Terry Maddock - I think everyone with a bit of common sense knows exactly what my point was. The fact that you don’t says it all. So carry on insulting me with your ’management genius’ insults. You are showing to everyone how you think.

Look, the game was just one of those Magical FA Cup giant killing games and they happen to the best of them.

Yes I was so pissed off at the result, but the more I think about it the more I think it might be a blessing in disguise.

We had a number of chances and on any other day would have won this game easily with the same team and chances created!

It just looked like one of those games where we were never going to score, the result was always going to happen, you could just tell with the way the ball was bouncing the right side for Oldham every time we nearly scored.

We are doing well in the league and the Uefa Cup and are in the semi-finals of of the Carling Cup!

We cannot win every game and the quicker we all (players included) forget about this result the better, lets concentrate on Tuesday?s game!!!

COYB!!!!!!!!!!!!

Art, prey tell where I abused you ?
Moyesy admitted on MOTD that he fielded an under strengh team and came unstuck, whats so hard to understand ?
I actually apologised to the man a few weeks ago given the type of football he has finally managed to produce but it seems he has not learned his lessons in this particular comp.
I am not calling for his head, he admitted he made a mistake, fair enough, we are out of the FA Cup yet again early doors beaten by inferior opposition. If you are happy with that fine, personally as Dave Lynch said, I would prefer to still be in it.
Anyway roll on Tuesday

Ged,it’s not even worth arguing with Terry (I love KW,BK,DM,I can’t wait to get to Kirkby,everything in the garden is rosey )Maddock.

Your post in full Steve Lyth:

Art who appointed you as chief forum spokesman ? Stop dishing Greeth out lad ,I value everyones opinion please dont foist yours down all our throats.

Full of courtesy and grace, ain’t it...?

Nice body swerve of my questions Steve...

Now if only you had been on the pitch yesterday...

Ha ha ha! I think the real reason Ged’s annoyed is they didn’t reply to his CV when he appliedn last time the Everton manager’s job was up. I mean it is the same old argument with you. And it provokes the same bloody replies. We’re just as bad a Liverpool fans really.

I openly admit I know nothing about football. I guess 99 per cent of fans no nothing about football. But I am quite enjoying this season.

Yesterday was a bad day all round. I got a bit drunk because of the delay and I may have even booed at end even though that goes against everything I stand for.

I wanted to win the FA Cup but we are out. No point worry about it. We have got the league cup and Uefa cup and even a cheeky punt at the league (maybe in my wildest dreams).

Tell me ma, me ma, et cetra.

Nick Toye wrote "He has taken us from relegation fodder to last 32 of Uefa Cup, and semi finals in Carling Cup. Please name me a manager that has done the same outside of the top 4?"

Steve "Couldn’t manage to save his life" McClaren?

I have been reliably informed I didn’t boo
but clapped Oldham.

So everthing’s alright with the world.

Art,unlike you I have played the game, thats where me an you stop.
I have had enough of getting beaten by shite, sorry really trusty lads with a cause,sorry i aint so forgiven.

Steve Lyth... remarkable talents you display. An ability to describe from a few lines in a forum what a person you have never met is capable of, or has/has not done in their life.

Unfortunately your talents do not extend to coherence or eloquence. Is your last post one of those devious puzzles that appear in daily newspapers where you have to rearrange the words to make a complete sentence that reveals the identity of some ’B’ list celebraty...???

Me on this got Steve stumped one...