David Moyes reads the Mailbag!
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Just about the only advantage of having to drive 125 miles home from Goodison is that it gives you the opportunity to mull over the afternoon's events. Not that I don't concentrate on the traffic but the tedium of travelling down the M6/5 can be somewhat relieved by reconsidering the afternoon's proceedings.
On rare occasions, one wants to dwell on moments of great skill and artistry although in recent times 'the dwelling' has been much more on hoof-ball and lack of application.
Tonight's journey was altogether different because, for the first time since February, I genuinely felt my team gave value for money. Even in the first half, when United`s class shone through, I felt our lads were up for the task.
Just for once, Moyes had set his store out to give 'the big boys' something to think about. We were in their faces ? and even when we went one down, it didn't signify a surrender but seemed to spur our lads on to even greater effort. What Moyes said to them at half-time, I know not... but it worked and the public kick up the arse he afforded Fellaini midweek had particular effect.
We got back on terms and with a more neutral ref and a favourable run of the ball could easily have won it.
So how did this transition come about? Was it down to the return of our Captain Marvel? Was it because the players had started to believe the assine crap that the club's Media Centre circulates in their names every day of the week?
NO... It was because David Moyes reads our Mailbag! He's taken on board all we've been saying ? and acted on it. We told him to forget about Neville in midfield, go 4-4-2 and cut out all that hoof-ball-and it worked.
Perhaps he should consider sharing that £17 million with us;
we've given him enough advice over the last week, after all!
Harry Meek,
Worcester Posted 25/10/2008 at 19:54:20
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Michael Kenrick
Hehe... nice one, Harry. I think I prefer your assessment to Daffy Dodd's claim that the manager had nothing to learn from us fans. Clearly something has changed, and the safety-first hoofballs I hate with a passion were thankfully contained to a minimum.
Much better performance all round from the lads today, a win would have been nicest of all, and it was clearly within their grasp, as you say. Will that be enough to prove to the Moyes apologists once and for all that money and investment is not the insurmountable barrier they claim? And that by some decent application and a desire to play football with some spirit and conviction can reap rewards ? even against the best teams?
I?ve always thought that the rocket the crowd gave him at that Spurs game struck home, so maybe somebody told him what we?d been writing in the last few days! Certainly, he took a fresh look at things and was urging his defenders not to sit deep right 'til the end. Let?s hope it lasts.
PS Don?t expect too big a tip from him though!
I do wonder if Moyes is the kind of man who gets too wrapped up in himself and a situation. I think it takes a lot for him to abstract himself from a situation and take a wider view. Remember a few seasons ago when after finishing near the bottom of the table and getting tanked 5-1 by Man City on the final day of the season he admitted that on reflection during the close season he realised he was being too uptight, dictatorial and negative?
I don?t think a good tanking from the Goodison faithful does him any harm, as Nigel points out, the Spurs game was a major turning point - everyone (even those on £17 million contracts) need a kick up the arse sometimes! Especially those on mega contracts it seems...
Brendan McLaughlin
Posted 25/10/2008 at 23:03:36
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OK I accept Harry was "tongue in cheek" & I even smiled when I read the initial post. But now some people are beginning to believe there is some truth in this.
David Moyes has just landed himself a 5 year £17.5 million deal on the back of what he has achieved at Everton during his tenure. So if anybody thinks that he takes heed of a few critical voices on a fans site or that he had some sort of road to Damascus type conversion following that oft-mentioned Spurs match - they need to get real.
The comment that sticks with me, when it was put to Moyes that a section of fans were less than happy with how he was going about things, was something along the lines that maybe some people need educating.
I always look at the OS just in case there is any real news. This hardly ever happens. The ’we are going to make it happen’ stuff from the players is what you would expect, and takes up very little of my time. But I was quite interested to see Leon Osman, about two weeks ago, quoted as saying - we are coming into form.
I hoped he was right then and maybe it happened this afternoon.
One swallow doesn?t make a summer. Anyone who is the manager of this football club should know what the score is here. We know our football; anyone who comes to Goodison should be under no doubt they're in for a battle.
Don?t be surprised by today?s result, it?s how it should be. Forget about the cash the top 4 have at their disposal, these players are playing for Everton Football Club ? one of the founder members of the Football League, with a big following and history. Pass, move, tackle hard but fair, keep the ball on the deck,run till you drop, that?s all the vast majority expect.
Not a bad result today, so let it be the start of the season. Nil satis nisi optimum to all my fellow Evertonians.
I agree with you Harry. Last night I read the preview of the match on this site and was very sceptical of the idea that DM might actually change the tactics. Luckily Hibbert wasn?t fit. How different it could have been though. We could have been three down at half time, got a hiding, and the more positive tactics would have been blamed.
Let?s keep it this way. Use Saha and Vaughan (90 minutes between them) to sustain high tempo football and keep Neville at right back. I thought he was superb today, that (fair) tackle on Ronhaldo was the highlight and turning point of the game.
I dont think it has anything to do with him reading mailbag, probably more to do with the options available to him, and being the home side, and maybe because everything else he?s tried hasn't been very successful.
Moyes probably feels if the 2 sides are both going to try and play football Man U have the upper hand so what's the point in playing into their hands.
The big trouble with Moyes is that it takes him forever to see what is obvious to most people on here in a game or two. He?s intransigent and thinks changing things is an admission of original bad judgement. I wouldn?t put it past him to have Neville back in midfield as soon as Hibbert is fit ? so don?t think for one minute he had ?road to Damascus moment? when he sent out the team yesterday.
Yes, the lads fought hard and that?s refreshing but don?t put the champers on ice just yet ? and don?t go shopping for a new car this weekend!
Just to clarify, I certainly don’t think he reads the mailbag, what I was trying to get at in my post is that the fans at Goodison letting him know what they think about his piss poor decision making, may, just may make Moyes have a rethink. Perhaps the empty seats and need to desperatley try to sell them up until the morning of the game may have had a similar effect this weekend? Who knows, but I certainly don’t think the mailbag influences Moyes. The point I as trying to make is that he is blinkered in his thinking and analysis and it would appear it takes something extraordinary to change his thinking.
If Rooney reads the mail bag then he'd better watch his back, I've never known any player to be so untoward against his former & boyhood club. That fat prick really has got a screw loose and no heart.
Can anyone confirm that I was told his mum popped him out while in Manchester but he was back in liverpool shortly after, so he is actually a Manc anyway, the fat ugly scumbag.
Thomas Christensen
Posted 26/10/2008 at 11:25:44
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David, Rooney might well kiss the red badge of Manchester United, but given our determined performance yesterday from our lads he doesn’t deserve the right to kiss the blue one anymore. Besides which we’ve a new hero **Please step forward Marouane Fellaini** who given Rooney’s antics later on in the game, Marouane had every right to kiss the blue badge after scoring a good goal capping off his best performance so far.
No he doesn?t read the mailbag, cos if he did he would have brought on the Vaughan and Anichibe on when there was still half hour to go! But instead he gives both them 3 minutes each!
It largely down to elitism amongst the football fraternity and the press... they just won't give us a chance, which is a shame because Mourinho never played football and he's done alright ;o)
I know Rooney doesn't help himself with his posturing but WE the fans have to look at ourselves too. The amount of bile pouring from the stands towards him is disgusting. Remember, some of us take kids to the game and my 12-year-old daughter doesn't need to hear those things. The net result of the comments aimed at Rooney is that he winds up his detractors even further with the badge kissing and the bouncy celebration in front of the Street end after their goal as if to say "fuck you".
It's time for both parties to move on. Who truthfully would've stayed at Goodison when (a) you were being touted as the next great thing and (b) one of Europe's top teams wanted you?? Yes, I know the manner of his leaving wasn't great but I suspect his agent was behind most of that and not the player himself. He's not the first nor the last player to leave Everton and like I said, let's move on.......
Incidentally both Duncan Ferguson and Alan Stubbs were at his wedding in the summer. If those two can have ?normal relations? with him then I believe the rest of us should at least try to do the same. Failing that... just ignore him!!!!
The badge-kisser doesn?t read the mailbag as he can?t read. Full stop.
I agree with Sean, just ignore him; I find his actions laughable really as if he put as much effort into playing as he does with his crap wind-up attempts maybe he would not have had to be taken off yesterday before he was sent off.
It is his wife I feel for ? bet he does not kiss her as often as he does the badge.
Brendan McLaughlin
Posted 26/10/2008 at 20:24:10
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Hey Sean - no reason to feel sorry for Colleen. I?m sure she much prefers Shrek kisses the badge more often than her anyway.
Harry - regarding what was said at half-time; according to Phil Neville in The Telegraph this morning it was the Club masseur Jimmy Comer who pointed a few things out at half time and it seemed to do the trick! How much are we paying Jimmy compared to Moyes? Whatever it is it?s clearly not enough!
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Much better performance all round from the lads today, a win would have been nicest of all, and it was clearly within their grasp, as you say. Will that be enough to prove to the Moyes apologists once and for all that money and investment is not the insurmountable barrier they claim? And that by some decent application and a desire to play football with some spirit and conviction can reap rewards ? even against the best teams?