The Mail Bag
Remember the season of '76?
Comments (18)
Remember the season of '76? Not 1976.... the season where we conceded 76 goals in a Premier League season???
2008-09, by the looks of it, as we continue to concede 2 goals per game and need to core twice for any kind of points or progression. This has to be the worst defensive display in my lifetime.
Its time to drop the big names, and bring in Rodwell et al ? they cannot do any worse, surely.
Jeremy Benson, Posted 05/10/2008 at 17:44:35
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Michael Kenrick
Don't worry, be happy. In Moyes We Trust ? he wrote the book (Scottish coaching manual, Chapter 3) on Defending, after all. We are in safe hands, surely...???
Michael, for years we have had among the best defences in the country.. We are having a shocker this time, but if you are not confident in Moyes’s ability to sort our defence (agreed he has not totally won my confiidence on the offensive side of things), then pls look at the history...
Varun, history is irrelevant. This is about the here and now. The last game played... in fact, all the games played this season. Moyes has been an abject failure when it comes to marshaling the defence. That is supposed to be his strong point, the basis on which he builds the team. Before you can rectify a problem, you need to acknowledge and accept that it exists. How does it help if you don’t even acknowledge there is a very serious problem?
This is not the worst display in my lifetime, but counts among a few others over the years. However, the issues are different now. There?s the whole issue of financing the club, the ground move and the possible signature of the manager who is party to getting us in this mess in the first place!
My only hope for the short- to mid-term future of this club is if Moyes DOES NOT sign this contract. We are going nowhere with him at the helm except down to the Championship. He doesn?t have the skill, nous or ability to do any better. MOYES OUT - IT?S OVER!
I do not have to accept this rubbish.
My only hope for the short- to mid-term future of this club is if Moyes DOES NOT sign this contract. We are going nowhere with him at the helm except down to the Championship. He doesn?t have the skill, nous or ability to do any better. MOYES OUT - IT?S OVER!
I do not have to accept this rubbish.
I totally agree that this is a serious serious problem and we need to really sort it out fast, all I say is we have to show faith in him cause of his history of neat defences...
There is no point in being negative, cause that does not help IMHO. Also for 3-4 weeks we correctly have been moaning about poor offensive football, today at least for 60 mins we got it (first half and last 15). So I feel credit where credit is due.
There is no point in being negative, cause that does not help IMHO. Also for 3-4 weeks we correctly have been moaning about poor offensive football, today at least for 60 mins we got it (first half and last 15). So I feel credit where credit is due.
My own tuppence worth is that we are lacking leaders on the pitch. There are players playing with a severe lack of confidence and they are simply not performing. Last season we had a Carsley, or a Stubbs in there, getting everyone to roll their sleeves up. This season, I think we have mainly only had Neville and Jagielka who will open their mouths on the field. We are too quiet and the players need to stop feeling sorry for themselves. In fairness I would consider Cahill one of our strong personalities, but he has not been on the pitch often enough for us of late.
We have a few issues with Baines being crap at defending, Hibbert being crap at football in general and then there’s Howard. Moyes has jigged the others around a bit but the one constant has been Howard. To me he just causes chaos in the box and today he seemed to totally unerve Jags and Lescott on more than one occasion. I say give Nash a try. Yes he is old and fat but so was Southall when he set the clean sheet record under Royle.
I think thats a bit unfair on Howard. He saves more than he (maybe) costs, at the moment, he?s been pulling off a couple of good shot-stopping saves per game.
Personally I think he is far and away the best keeper we?ve had for a long time, and if he isnt communicative as people suggest, then that only highlights our defenders don't talk either. That?s not his fault.
In the past seasons he has commanded his area superbly, and he always comes for crosses etc which is usually the sign of good command.
The majority of our leaky goals have come from out-wide where our defenders have failed to stop a cross coming in, and at the far post, where (usually) our right back has gone missing....
Personally I think he is far and away the best keeper we?ve had for a long time, and if he isnt communicative as people suggest, then that only highlights our defenders don't talk either. That?s not his fault.
In the past seasons he has commanded his area superbly, and he always comes for crosses etc which is usually the sign of good command.
The majority of our leaky goals have come from out-wide where our defenders have failed to stop a cross coming in, and at the far post, where (usually) our right back has gone missing....
Jeremy Benson,
>"Personally I think he is far and away the best keeper we?ve had for a long time."
Erm, do you count a ?long time? as including Nigel Martyn? If so, surely you are having a laugh? Shot stopping is ONE part of being a good goalkeeper, some of the others, I would suggest, are: -
Presence, ownership of the penalty area, communication, positioning, understanding with defence and distribution.
On that basis, I can?t believe you are suggesting Howard is better than Martyn was!
>"Personally I think he is far and away the best keeper we?ve had for a long time."
Erm, do you count a ?long time? as including Nigel Martyn? If so, surely you are having a laugh? Shot stopping is ONE part of being a good goalkeeper, some of the others, I would suggest, are: -
Presence, ownership of the penalty area, communication, positioning, understanding with defence and distribution.
On that basis, I can?t believe you are suggesting Howard is better than Martyn was!
How can a person who is failing miserably at his job and whose stock is falling by the minutue be offered a £17 million contract!!!! Which brainless idiot is offering this contract???? There is no way that Moyes should have this reward for failure, it should be withdrawn immediately.
This is the worst standard of football seen at Goodison Park for years. If it is signed and sealed, it may well bankrupt our club, because at this rate we will be in a relegation struggle and when we need money to buy players it will not be available. The only reason he is considering signing it now is because there are no other jobs available, which is clearly what he was hoping for, and also before he gets sacked, which at this rate will not be long.
As far as Howard?s concerned I think he does too much talking to the back four which suggests he has a lack of confidence in the players in front of him and perhaps they just switch off from listening to him.
What Everton need is an enforcer (which is what Carsley was), I remember a reds fan calling him a beast during the derby game last year at Anfield.
As for the new lad, I wish he was head and shoulders above everybody else in a football sense because so far he hasn?t shown whatever qualities he surely must have for the price tag.
At least in the last 2 games there have been signs (albeit briefly) of the football that we can play. But we cannot afford to be as brittle as we have been for too much longer as we appear to lack the appetite for a battle. Too many ?good? sides have fallen by the wayside due to a lack of bottle and I?m afraid that we appear to lack any of the required attributes if the season continues to conspire against us.
Whatever salary DM recieves in the next few months, he is going to have to earn it. He has to accept that last season is just a memory and this is the one that matters. The league table does not lie... and, if results in the next 2 go to ?form?, that will be 8 points from 9 matches and we will be facing Bolton and Fulham in ?six-pointers'.
It would be just llke Everton to find financial security and end up in the Championship! The fans and the team must realise that at this moment in time staying in the division is the number one priority.
What Everton need is an enforcer (which is what Carsley was), I remember a reds fan calling him a beast during the derby game last year at Anfield.
As for the new lad, I wish he was head and shoulders above everybody else in a football sense because so far he hasn?t shown whatever qualities he surely must have for the price tag.
At least in the last 2 games there have been signs (albeit briefly) of the football that we can play. But we cannot afford to be as brittle as we have been for too much longer as we appear to lack the appetite for a battle. Too many ?good? sides have fallen by the wayside due to a lack of bottle and I?m afraid that we appear to lack any of the required attributes if the season continues to conspire against us.
Whatever salary DM recieves in the next few months, he is going to have to earn it. He has to accept that last season is just a memory and this is the one that matters. The league table does not lie... and, if results in the next 2 go to ?form?, that will be 8 points from 9 matches and we will be facing Bolton and Fulham in ?six-pointers'.
It would be just llke Everton to find financial security and end up in the Championship! The fans and the team must realise that at this moment in time staying in the division is the number one priority.
I totally agree with Stew Marsland, let's sack DM and BK. Let's bring back the good old days of johnson as chairman and Mike Walker as manager. That was a much better standard of football. Instead of having a pop, try getting behind the blues and giving your support when it's needed most. You don't become shite over night it was only last week we were above United. Come on you blue boys!!!!!!!!!!!
Captain Pip:
?We can push on for fourth.?
?Liege/United/Liverpool/Arsenal will kick start our season.?
?I have a contract here until I am 93 and want to see silverware at this club.?
?I once made a succesful pass and am now married.?
Next.......
I think my patience can only last the next 5 games. If the record for the next 5 games is as bad as the last 5, then the manager ought to go. Otherwise a reduced contract is in the cards.
Alternatively, does anyone have Slaven Billic’s number?
Alternatively, does anyone have Slaven Billic’s number?
Jeremy Benson, Are you serious?
Newcastle's first goal was the keepers ball all day long. Howard has no command of his area wotsoever, Liege?s second goal came as a direct result of TH not shouting yobo and claiming what shoukd of been his ball. Both Stoke?s goals were down to Howard's refusal to knock everybody out the way and CATCH the bloody ball (Chelsea away in cup semi-final anyone?)
IMO he is the weakest link in our back line, the defence has no confidence in him to dominate HIS area or to talk to them. Yes, a good shot stopper (can't catch a ball tho) but as Dave Randles points out, that is just 1 part of being a keeper.
Can people tell me what exactly Moyes is expected to do now his tried and trusted defensive techniques are seemingly not working as they should?
Are we right to be blaming the coaching? What more can the man do? He’s not the one out on the pitch playing is he?
It baffles me how he’s getting a majority of the flack, ok he is the manager and he must take some responsibility but what can he do seriously?
He has to continue what he has been doing the past six years and that’s train the players the way he knows best, he can’t do much about the fact the whole backline looks completely devoid of confidence and the goalkeeper likewise, that confidence will come with wins and clean sheets, it’s the only way!
Are we right to be blaming the coaching? What more can the man do? He’s not the one out on the pitch playing is he?
It baffles me how he’s getting a majority of the flack, ok he is the manager and he must take some responsibility but what can he do seriously?
He has to continue what he has been doing the past six years and that’s train the players the way he knows best, he can’t do much about the fact the whole backline looks completely devoid of confidence and the goalkeeper likewise, that confidence will come with wins and clean sheets, it’s the only way!
Fully agree Andy, the biggest incident that stands out to me with Howard’s inability to actually go for the ball is the Chelsea game, 1st leg in the Carling Cup.
He should have went straight through Lescott and the diminutive Wright Phillips, there was less than a minute left and he does that to us.
He will not go through players, the refs always protect the goalies and he should start to manipulate that to his own end.
It is so frustrating to concede stupid goal that could so easily be diverted.
He should have went straight through Lescott and the diminutive Wright Phillips, there was less than a minute left and he does that to us.
He will not go through players, the refs always protect the goalies and he should start to manipulate that to his own end.
It is so frustrating to concede stupid goal that could so easily be diverted.
Why on earth would we want to give Moyes a new 5 year contract worth £5m at the point where we are looking for purchasers 24/7?
Surely the last thing a new owner wantsto be saddled with is a manager they don’t want but will cost them several million to get rid of.
If BB is seriously looking for buyers he will surely hold off on the contract in view of our recent results.
Incidentally saw Cars play for Brum at the weekend - awful, just so slow subbed just after half time.
Surely the last thing a new owner wantsto be saddled with is a manager they don’t want but will cost them several million to get rid of.
If BB is seriously looking for buyers he will surely hold off on the contract in view of our recent results.
Incidentally saw Cars play for Brum at the weekend - awful, just so slow subbed just after half time.
Sorry - contract worth £17m
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