ToffeeWeb - Season 2008-09

The Mail Bag

Too Nice for Our Own Good

I am proud that we have a manager who does not continuously moan or gets on referees backs at the slightest opportunity. And treats referees and opposing coaches and players with respect (unlike the Unmentionable Man with the Goatee Beard across the park). But I do think that the horrendous injuries that we suffered last week definitely merits a higher decibel protest from Moyes.

3 players out from 1 game - Arteta, Anichebe, and now possibly, Rodwell. If this had happened to any of the Sky 4 or even Villa, we wouldn't have heard the end of it. Nobody will dare play dirty against ManU, for fear of coming up against SAF.

I think sometimes we do ourselves a disservice by being too nice - "I don't think Kevin Nolan is that kind of player" . FFS, we are in up to our neck in the dirty stuff because of injuries and we still don't think it necessary to lash out at Newcastle ! The referee and the 4th official should have got a bollocking as soon as Ryan Taylor made that horrendous tackle on Rodwell (Our Captain Pip also has a role to play in this). That might have forced the ref to call their captain and have a word. Instead, Newcastle continued to play dirty and look what that has got us into.

It is still not too late for Moyes to lash out at Newcastle and the officials of the game. At least, it will be at the back of the mind of the refs and opposing coaches. Otherwise, Everton could be easy kicking targets for the rest of the season.

Come on Moyes, don't be the nice guy anymore. We need to have the attitude of a big team.
Ajay Gopal, Bangalore, India Posted 28/02/2009 at 03:16:09

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Stewart.Oakes
1 Posted 28/02/2009 at 20:08:16

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If you watch the tackle! on Anicheba not one Everton player has a moan to any of the Newcastle players or the ref.
If that had been any other team the ref would have been jumped on.

Alan Kirwin
2 Posted 28/02/2009 at 20:43:04

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I’ve no problem with teams fighting for everything. We’ve done it ourselves, particularly under Moyes & Royle.

However several Newcastle players went way beyond the accepted boundaries of competition & "fighting". Nolan;s happened to be (by a country mile) the very worst of a bad bunch. But both the Taylors were taking no prisoners from the off. I thought the referee should have stamped on it immediately due to the degree of what was going on.

That’s just Moyes’ way. It was without doubt the worst tackle of this season. I can’t think of anything more heinous since Shearer tried to kick Neil Lennon’s head off (and then made it clear that if he was punished by video evidence then he’d resign the England captaincy). Shame Neil Lennon didn’t involve the police, as that "challenge" makes me feel like chundering when I see it.

Aidan Wade
3 Posted 01/03/2009 at 06:11:47

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I think Moyes spends so much time complaining about refs he sometimes forgets to breathe.

If he has reduced his moan output lately its only because results are still going his way.

Re. Newcastle: The Ref had a bad game in not even booking either Taylor but it wasn’t a foul that caused Arteta’s injury and if the players didn’t complain about Nolan its because he was sent off.

Don’t get me wrong, we’re no Man Utd when it comes to uppity players, and our manager is million miles from that moany hole and dillusional schizo across the park but we’re not above a bit of whinging

Gavin Ramejkis
4 Posted 01/03/2009 at 08:23:12

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Whole heartedly agree Ajay, the assault on Rodwell took place before Arteta’s injury (if you watch the replay of that watch carefully as the Newcastle player presses his knee against Arteta’s pushing it the wrong way as he is going down if not creating the injury then certainly worsening it.

Not dealing instantly with Ryan Taylor then each and every subsequent spineless foul gave out the wrong message. The game should easily have seen Newcastle reduced to 9 men and a hefty fine from the FA for the number of cards in the game.

Humility and dignity in it’s place but not when your players are being deliberately fouled to the point where 2 will now probably no longer play this season.