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Until the 92nd minute of last night's game against Arsenal we had plenty of this, it was going to be a good time to play the Red Devils and Liverpool again, despite having an injury crisis.

And I'm not saying this because we conceded a late goal to drop 2 points. If it had been the other way round we would have kept our momentum I feel. But reading Moyes's comments on the official site this morning, it seems the wind has been taken from his sales.

Last night we threw everything at the game. Moyes's defenders played superbly, except I think Hibbert was caught wrong side of Van Persie instead of getting a block in.

But I cant help thinking this morning that last night was our last battle stand, like the last battallion of soldiers in a gunfight, surrounded by the enemy, knowing that you are down to your last magazine of ammunition.

These battle-weary troops are waiting for the promised reinforcments but for many reasons they haven't arrived. The platoon leader, Moyes, in my opinion will show his true colours this weekend in how he motivates the troops in a final battlecry.

Let's hope that Moyes sits and watches Braveheart or Zulu before the game Saturday.
Andrew Fletcher, Hawarden Posted 29/01/2009 at 07:38:21

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Joe McMahon
1 Posted 29/01/2009 at 14:43:02

promised reinforcments??? we have been told no one will arrive. What I don’t get is how teams who attract much smaller gates like Stoke, Hull, Wigan, Pompey seem to be able to purchase when we don’t. People slag off Peter Jophnson days, and yes times were low, mainly cos of Walter Smith. At least the Peter Johnson days can boast a trophy. Yes I know he was a bad apple, but the top & bottom is nothing has improved with kenwright- nothing!

Before you ALL start I don’t want Johnson back either, just the HULL chairman will do.

Andrew Fair
2 Posted 29/01/2009 at 14:41:52

Have to disagree with you andrew. I remember about 10 games ago we scored very very late against villa and then of course we conceded even later this could have well and truly broken us but no Moyes and his staff rallied and went on a run which has included draws against Chelsea, the redshite twice and now the arse. I think theres something very different about this team this season and the galling way we were denied two points will on spur the team on for saturday. Who knows! maybe a shock win at Old trafford is on the cards? Or am I just too optimistic or maybe just deluded?

MIke Oates
3 Posted 29/01/2009 at 14:49:20

I cant but help feeling that last nights result will not help us over the next few weeks. A win would have given the 12-13 players who have been put out by Moyes week by week over the last few months a real positive buzz before the Man U and Liverpool games. Now I feel that the last minute (as Aston Villa) turnround will feel like real kick in the teeth to the players and will affect our next few performances.

You can keep winning , whilst the tank is virtually empty on pure adrenalin, passion make belief but sooner or later the bubble can burst and then players become/look tired and performances drop.

What is needed is fresh blood , new faces, a couple of changes just to freshen things up - but we haven’t got the luxury of spare bodies and we are not playing Hull or Pompey or Fulham next BUT Man Utd and then a wounded Liverpool.

To me, last night, might just might signal the start of cementing 6th place and not on challenging the top 4.

Hope I’m wrong.

Phil Bellis
4 Posted 29/01/2009 at 14:51:05

I have it on good authority (c. R Dodd) that Moyes sits them down to watch Band of Brothers... He?s lent Benitez the DVD of The Mercenaries.

Ciarán MacGiolla Eoin
5 Posted 29/01/2009 at 14:59:49

Stop blamning Hibbert, he was superb... the player you are looking for is Jags... and I?m not blaming him either, due to his superb perfomances...

Last night was the best I?ve seen us play since the Eighties.

Keith Glazzard
6 Posted 29/01/2009 at 15:36:41

Mike -

"What is needed is fresh blood". Heaven forbid that we will need lots of reinforcements for injuries and suspensions, but what really don’t need is rotation and an unsettled team.

If we had another Arteta, would he be on the bench or on the field with him? I guess that Moyes isn’t too worried about what he’s got.

MIke Oates
7 Posted 29/01/2009 at 15:57:36

Keith

Whilst I acknowledge your point , and I’m not one for enforced rotation we cannot simply play the next 15-18 games with the same 12-13 players and get enough points to challenge the Top 4 places. It isnt feasible due to injuries , suspensions , illnesses etc and because the players know that as well and also know that we have got no adequate replacements then then I can see a period of maintaining where we are rather than one of continuing the challenge.

Brett Bradshaw
8 Posted 29/01/2009 at 16:38:01

The game against Man U was always going to be by far and away the most difficult game in this tricky patch.

The RS and Arsenal are totally off form at the moment and so playing them now is a blessing. Man U on the other hand have recently topped the league and ended their run of 1-0 wins with a 5-0!

I will be happy if we keep it tight and give ourselves a chance of a result in the last 10 mins. Everton to pinch this one 1-1 would be awesome.

Heath Pearson
9 Posted 29/01/2009 at 16:48:27

I assume we can’t quote the OS but good grief the title of the article is about how he is not down and the entire article is about how Moyes refuses to be downhearted. it doesn’t remotely sound like the "wind is out of his sails."

Fair enough, have your opinion about Moyes, but for crying out loud to take an entire article about how he is NOT down and conclude that he’s down is just looking for way to be negative.

Tony Marsh
10 Posted 29/01/2009 at 17:45:46

Rest all the big guns for Saturdays trip to Old Trafford.Our lads are fucked
and carrying knocks.We have just played two lung busting Derbies and a grueller against Arsenal and it cant go on with a squad so small.

Regardless of the Man Utd result we are going to finish 6th.No higher no lower so whats the point in risking defeat at home in the FA Cup against the shite.Resting key players makes sense as the FA Cup is our only hope of silveware this season.

Trevor Lynes
11 Posted 29/01/2009 at 18:19:31

I have been ?bleating? about needing re-inforcements for ages. We WILL have suspensions, injuries and fatigue and we have NO decent Premier standard squad members to replace. Arteta, Fellaini, Cahill and Howard... DM has given up on anyone coming in YET we get Kissock out on loan and Ruddy has gone too... It baffles me completely. I am afraid I don't just blindly believe all the junk that we are fed... other teams with far less revenue and fan base than us have been active... AMBITION is not a word in the Goodison vocabulary.

Dave Wilson
12 Posted 29/01/2009 at 19:09:03

Tony Marsh

Interesting thought, I?m not saying I dont understand your point, or even disagree with it, but to what degree are you talking?

Are you talking about wholesale changes, putting a reserve team out?

Rob Foy
13 Posted 29/01/2009 at 19:16:45

Looking into the situation with Kissock, he has gone on loan for a month. Look at it on the flip side, he will play for Accrington Stanley in a few, if not most of their games over the coming month then come back to us. I think Moyes is sending him out to get games under his belt and get a form of match fitness ready to be thrown in come March when our midfield will be dying on their feet. This is another sign we arent signing anybody

Beth Carter
14 Posted 29/01/2009 at 19:19:43

One thing at a time. I’m still in a rage at being denied last night.

Arsenal, incidentally have the highest number of late goals scored - within the last 5 minutes - of all premiership teams.

Why the players did not keep the ball in the corners so late on only they know. Do not know all the details but I think the Van Persie goal could , and should of been avoided. A win over Arsenal at Goodison has happened often in recent times and was so close last night again.

A draw is a good result with them, but the manner achieved feels to a degree, more like a defeat right now. I can understand now how the Liverpool supporters/players must have felt when Cahill scored the goal when he did, even if it was five minutes earlier than last night.

Andy Crooks
15 Posted 29/01/2009 at 19:34:49

Tony,the uefa cup which you hate so much is also silverware and is at least the equal of the FA cup.

Beth Carter
16 Posted 29/01/2009 at 19:41:53

For me the Uefa Cup represents a bigger award than the FA Cup.

Look at the calibre of teams in this years competition, I think Glasgow Rangers deserve all the accolades going for reaching last season's final.

And Celtic in 2003 as well. So close.

Ryan Holroyd
17 Posted 29/01/2009 at 20:06:23

You say the defense played well apart from Hibbert. I?d just like to ask which top class winger you think has got the better of him over the past 2 years or so? I think you will struggle. I admit he can't pass but his one on one defensive work is superb.

James Carroll
18 Posted 29/01/2009 at 10:33:09

Yesterday I was out all day - and only received the score as a text after the game - 'Everton 1 Aresnal 1' I was totally thrilled! I was only disappointed later on, when I found out the timing of the goals. But put this result in perspective ? any of us would have been delighted with 1-1 if we'd been offered it. This, on the heels of 1-1 at Anfield ? twice. What a week! Huge improvement on last year's results. Bring on MUFC.

Beth Carter
19 Posted 29/01/2009 at 20:37:18

Just imagine what results could have been garnered if we had had a full strength team in recent outings.

I’m not suggesting we could have won our last few games without any omissions, but surely would of had an enhanced chance of victories.

But Moyes - reinforcements are needed!

Kev Prytherch
20 Posted 29/01/2009 at 20:47:11

Of the last 3 games, 2 we’ve played without Yobo and Faellini, One without these two and Arteta and all three without Saha (Who’s apparantly 2 weeks away). My point being, we’ve played 2 of the ’big’ four teams without these players who are all back, or nearly back, and not lost. Surely an injury or suspension here or there won’t be as bad as what it could have been in the last few games. If we can cope without these players against Liverpool and Arsenal, then we can cope without one or two players against lesser sides.

Kiern Moran
21 Posted 29/01/2009 at 21:37:40

I thought, bar twenty or so minutes of the first half and of course their goal, Everton were by far the better side. Considering that we are Arsenal?s rabbit in the Premier Side, no other side have they picked up more points form and that they crushed use in the game last year, we were, not to put too fine a point on it awesome. That?s nice games unbeaten now. Cahill isn?t injured, thank God. United to play. Normally I would not be very confident, fearing sure fire defeat. But I think the side is looking very good. Howard is in form, behind an imposing and hardworking back four. Hibbert on the ball was cutting inside against Arsenal! Fellani and Architect are back. Osman was quite against Liverpool and looked better against Arsenal. Neville and Cahill in outstanding form. Plus Archiable is going to get a goal coming off the bench sooner or later, why not Saturday?

Ian Tunny
22 Posted 29/01/2009 at 22:26:50

Rob Foy thats an excelent shout, i never thought about it that way. This could be Kissock's time to step up. Better late than never!

When Cahill went off there was a change in the tide, we looked comfortable until that point, but I think the players took their eye off the ball and were distracted or worried about what would happen if we lost Cahill for the rest of the season. I think if he?d still been on the pitch we would have won. Too many players seemed to lose concentration shortly after and give the ball away cheaply.

Paul Olsen
23 Posted 30/01/2009 at 08:23:07

Stop the obsessive whining already. We played well and have done so for some time now.

I see no sign that we will continue in any other way in the coming weeks either.

Jason Lam
24 Posted 30/01/2009 at 09:45:57

Disappointment is part and parcel of being Evertonian. I’m sure the lads will bounce back as they did at Man City. COYB

Tony Finn
25 Posted 30/01/2009 at 12:07:54

Ciarán MacGiolla Eoin
Are you being serious? Or have you just not seen us play much since the 80s?

Tom Bowers
26 Posted 30/01/2009 at 13:02:37

Sorry, my friend, you got it wrong ? it was Jags who didn?t get to Van Persie for the goal. Hibbert was further upfield running back to where he should have been at that late stage.

Andrew Fletcher
27 Posted 30/01/2009 at 14:33:09

Tom Bowers
You have totally contradicted yourself by saying Hibbert was running back to where he should have been. That's exactly my point.