ToffeeWeb - Season 2008-09

The Mail Bag

Team spirit

As with everyone, I'm delighted with the upturn in form. We can all talk about formations and things happening out of circumstance rather than aforethought. Interestingly, however, I think a big factor is the team spirit. Moyes may have his detractors on some matters but even the most ardent critic could not deny acknowledgement of his ability to build a tight-knit group of players who really work hard for one another.

Case in point... just read on the BBC website that Dan Gosling received a standing ovation from all the players in the post-match dressing room.

Sure, we are skint... and yes, we are a team that looks back on now fading glories... but there remains just one club with a culture and class and more importantly sense of belonging that would engender such an event ? that is my/our Everton.

Well done, lads!
James McPherson, Liverpool Posted 28/12/2008 at 14:58:41

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Dave Williams
1 Posted 28/12/2008 at 18:20:03

So good to see our Davie with that little glint in his eye that was missing so much early on. I for one can't believe we are where we are after how I felt after the Wigan game. Arteta back to his best and what a prospect in Gosling. Happy New Year, fellow Blues.

John Grills
2 Posted 28/12/2008 at 18:20:06

Have to agree with you James. For us to be sixth at the moment, given the financial and injury problems we have had, is a good achievement.

Nick Heady
3 Posted 28/12/2008 at 18:37:14

Have to agree, James, but looking at the table, can?t help thinking if we?d of been sorted at the start of the season we could of been fourth or maybe even third. Just thankful that all that seems to be behind us now. Let's all look forward to a very prosperous 2009! COYB.

Nick Heady
4 Posted 28/12/2008 at 18:50:05

Didn?t mention it earlier, but where is Tony Marsh?

Andrew Magner
5 Posted 28/12/2008 at 19:09:24

Villa haven?t had a bad run of form yet. I think we?ve certainly been through one and appear to be heading out the other side and on a decent run! I think we can catch and overhaul the Villa. Any one agree?

Chris Matty
6 Posted 28/12/2008 at 19:51:15

If James would permit me to wander slightly off his topic, I want to pick up on Nick?s point. I know it is futile and pointless, but does anyone else do a frustrated "if only" calculation every week like me? If only we hadn?t conceded that last-minute goal against Villa or against Blackburn; if only we got to play Pompey at home when they were rubbish. Etc etc, you get the point. Like I said, I know it?s pointless, but ....

Iain Love
7 Posted 28/12/2008 at 20:05:58

Fantastic win and a performance at home to match, don't care if it was only Sunderland, you can only beat what's put in front of you.

Andrew, Yes we can overtake Villa, we are a better team than them and they where very lucky to beat us. They have a good spine: GK CH CM CF and Young is excellent but we dominated them recently.

Does anyone else think that maybe we should stick with this formation as we have stopped lumping the ball forward and are getting it down and playing football? ... WONDERFUL!

Dave Richman
8 Posted 28/12/2008 at 20:27:34

Made up...... Absolutely made up! Tremendous performance from the lads. And the youngsters made an impression. Tremendous to be a Blue at the moment.

May I make mention of Styles as well? Two good refs in a row for home matches... what is the world coming to? I will always have a soft spot for Styles after the Chelsea penno at Anfield last season, but I thought he was very good today.

Thought Ossie was utter pants again tho?. If he?s not fit then he shouldn?t be out there!

Cup run anybody? COYB!

Richard Murray
9 Posted 28/12/2008 at 20:39:26

I think we?ll, almost definitely, get a better points tally in our last nineteen games as a opposed to our first nineteen? Will Villa? I?m not so sure. It will be a close run thing, but I wouldn?t be surprised if it ended up: 4. Arsenal 5. Everton 6. Villa. Just my opinion, we?ll have to wait and see.

Another very good performance today; well done boys.

Ste Lewis
10 Posted 28/12/2008 at 20:48:27

No-one likes an I-told-you-so but the knee-jerkers predicting a relegation fight should feel justifiably stupid. We have our problems but I'm sure 75% of the league would envy our lot.

Gavin Harris
11 Posted 28/12/2008 at 23:53:34

Did anyone else notice that we were one of the last matches on Match of the Day.... AGAIN! It's getting silly now, how can the WBA and Blackburn matches be on before ours? Three goals, great performance.

Anthony Dyer
12 Posted 29/12/2008 at 00:26:13

Long may it continue, the longer they treat us as just another team, the better. It can only help ease the pressure on us as each game comes around. But I still don?t understand how matches which have already been shown live are given such extended coverage on the Beebs highlights show.

I think it has more to do with agents etc as in the 70s music scene, get yourself the right agent... hey presto, mega media coverage regardless of how good or bad you were. As long as the boys perform on the pitch, it doesn?t matter how much acclamation they get from outsiders.

Joe McMahon
13 Posted 29/12/2008 at 00:32:51

Dave Richman ? I was slated on here the other day (to the extent I was disgusted, as I thought complete abuse would be from the type of person that follows LFC & MUFC) for saying Ossie isn?t up to it. I saw the game and thought he was our weak link. Great to see Arteta playing well again. Fingers crossed we can stay clear of injuries.

Gavin Harris
14 Posted 29/12/2008 at 01:18:33

Joe McMahon, I agree with you about Ossy. I think he is a Premier League player and is fine against most teams but he is not up to it against the top four. If we want to break into it over the next few years then we?ll need better players than Ossy.

Derek Thomas
15 Posted 29/12/2008 at 00:44:21

Nick Heady; Re.Your 2 pts they are in fact only one. We had a SHITE start, so to say if only coz it’s improved and for others to say look to the improved spirit with both the team and Moyes.

Don’t you see? that was what Marshy was saying, AT THE TIME, the results were crap, Moyes was sulking and the team didn’t seem to give a toss. And the only thing stopping it from actually being outright relegation form, again, AT THE TIME, was the dire standard of half of the other teams in the Prem. I mean at the time Stoke were mid table on the strength of a long throw.

But at the time a lot of people were in shoot the messenger mode.

Sometimes you need a Cassandra, some one who doesn’t see everything through Blue eyes, hear it through Blue ears think it through a Blue brain and speak it through a blue mouth (piece eh Doddy?)

Some one to say, hang on, is it me, or is The King walking round bollocko?

At 59% of turnover for player expenses no wonder we have one of the smallest squads in the Prem...pots to piss in...zero.

Mr Marsh just had enough of the flak and no wonder, you can only, or so it seems, go on banging your head on what, in his opinion and it is all about opinions, the brick wall of deaf ears for so long.

Nick Xenos
16 Posted 29/12/2008 at 01:35:27

If we can overhaul Aston Villa, then we can definitely get over the top of Arsenal too! Still a long way to go but we’re in the mix for Champs’ League football. Onwards and upwards.

Kiern Moran
17 Posted 29/12/2008 at 01:23:06

I understand where you are coming from Derek, especially Moyes state of mind prior to re-signing his contract affecting the team. But Mr Marsh, to be fair, gets so much stick (rightly in my view) because he never has anything of positive to say. Criticism is good, but it?s only positive if you couple it with ways of improving or highlight successes.

I thought Everton were good today. I think we turned the corner against Aston Villa, a game we lost but arguably outplayed them for most of the game. And they are fourth. Chelsea we should have beaten. City, Middleborough and Sunderland all dealt with comprehensively without an out and out striker.

Our midfield is starting to play itself into form. The defence has cut out the self-inflicted mistakes that have cost us. We blooded a young striker today. Gosling, an 18-year-old midfielder, has slotted seamlessly into the ranks. Baines is getting a run out. Our strikers are returning to fitness.

And you say this is madness, and maybe, wine fueled but the title is still fairly open. And the current first place Liverpool, have still to play us again. I think we can make this season very interesting and not just the normal speculation about what European place we might qualify for.

Maccelsfield, Hull and Liverpool next. Six points and the beginning of a glorious (touch wood) cup run. Rodwell and Baxter our trump cards still to be played.

Zac White
18 Posted 29/12/2008 at 00:54:25

"Fingers crossed we can stay clear of injuries."

I had a good laugh.

Thanks,

Peter Pridgeon
19 Posted 29/12/2008 at 06:08:27

I know Dan Gosling has only played 110 minuets in the Everton first team but I have never been so impressed with a young player since Wayne Rooney.

Is it just me or does he do a very good impression of Steven Gerrard? That ball through to Pienaar was sublime and a quality striker would have buried it.

Matthew Salem
20 Posted 29/12/2008 at 06:14:32

Who would have thought after the Blackburn, Pompey and Liege matches? COYB!!!

Jay Campbell
21 Posted 29/12/2008 at 06:21:38

Why the fuck did Moyes leave him out today for Osman??

One fault of Moyes is he needs to encourage young lads more and give them more of a chance.

He could've had Gosling in at the start of the season instead of those useless twats Hibbert or Osman.

Peter Bourke
22 Posted 29/12/2008 at 06:28:00

Wake up, Jay. Hibbo has been outstanding since returning from injury. I think Moyes has the timing perfect for Gosling. Not too much too soon, and Leon has been in pretty good form of late. I note the chorus of Pip knockers have gone quiet also.

Jay Campbell
23 Posted 29/12/2008 at 07:13:55

Peter - Hibbert is useless mate you need to wake up.

A half decent game does not aviod the issue that he is grim. Next top 4 side we play Hibbert will get took to the cleaners like he always does, you mark my words.

Jason Lam
24 Posted 29/12/2008 at 09:31:24

To be fair, Hibs is a pretty decent defender, and has added some decent crossing to his repertoire. Hardly useless.

I would place Osman in the useless camp, especially at right-wing (no speed and can’t beat the fullback). Deputy for Arteta is the future for Ossie.

Ken Weaver
25 Posted 29/12/2008 at 09:43:15

As soon as Anichebe appeared, the defenders started hoofing it in his direction. Moyes went mad and repeated shouted ?pass, pass, pass.? Just hope they don?t revert to type once we have a forward starting.

Nick Heady
26 Posted 29/12/2008 at 11:15:07

Derek, the point I was making is why only write a negative, scathing post? Surely you can't be negative all the time. Credit where credit is due. Criticise when criticism is due .Every year he attacks our club at a time when we all know we're playing shit. Then when we improve we hear nothing. When we play crap, I don't even want to watch, talk or do anything to do with football, TM on the other hand seems to have a different view.