The Mail Bag
Woeful display
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Just watched the Blues v Bolton live, due to the magnificent coverage on Fox Sport down here in Australia, but I'm going to ask them to scale down the coverage of my beloved blues, as I can't be put through the shite that I saw this morning anymore. The football was nothing more than a disgrace, one of the worst performances I've seen in a long long time (and there've been some stinkers).
I once believed that old saying that winning was more important than performances (and a little of me still does), but how the hell can we be an attractive proposition to any interested investor when we continue to play such disgusting football on the eye?
Now people will say that it's Bolton's style of play that's dragged our performance down, but I don't buy that as they were arguably the better side who could pass for 4 consecutive passes before giving it away. Most of this blame to me lies at the feet of the man that apparently we could not afford to lose, he's the man who's supposed to get the players up for the game, he's the man who pick's the side, he's the man who dictates our style of play... now how hard could it be to get the lads up for a match against a team that were there for the taking, especially after such a spirited 2nd half against Man Utd only the other day?
And how mystifying it was to see our teamsheet, not the formation as I believe that 4-4-2 is the way to play, but with Cahill back how could the consistently disappointing Osman demand a starting berth? As for our style of play, we simply haven't got one.
Now for all my moaning here, it still didn't stop me screaming the house down early this morning, be it in jubilation, be it in frustration, but when the big Belge got on the end of that Pienaar cross, I went back to my old beliefs about points v performance again & decided to forget about this one as surely we could never play this badly again.
So come on, Mr Moyes, pick your game up and that of those around you... and remember our motto, and what it stands for. Here's hoping for better against Fulham & the slaphed whinger. COYB'S!!!
Gary Lawler, Posted 30/10/2008 at 02:36:02
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Moyes, is to me, the 50% manager, the 04-05 one being the classic, poor 1st quarter, better middle tapering off to the traditional damp squib ending.
The ?04 1st half was the 1-0 grind out 50% and I have no problem with that as a start, so long as it doesn?t become the norm.
So let's not look the Reebok gift horse in the mouth and admit that 4 or 5 games ago we would have lost it, but reserve the right to expect more not less of the United 2nd halves.
This could be one of the few seasons that the Fulham attendance will be bigger than the United one??
With this new-found optimism, the next 4 games are all do-able and by the time we get to Spurs the gloss on their new manager bounce back will have worn a bit thin.
Wishful thinking or pragmatic assessment??
Ask me in December.
While I am happy we got the points, spending 2 hours checking what was going on via live updates it was obvious that the game was an absolute disgrace from a footballing point of view. I wish I hadn't bothered losing sleep.
It's always nice to get a result but I think we all would have expected it against Bolton. If only we could have done it a bit better! Anyone who didn't see the Arsenal - Spurs game... give it a chance. It was fucking classic! Derek .... I am not looking forward to Spurs now!
You say you want to see better football and yet you want Tim Cahill in the middle of the park in a 4-4-2 instead of Leon Osman? Nonsense.
Enjoy the win. The performances will improve during the next few weeks as we establish a settled formation (4-5-1) and starting line up.
It seems to me that several players are suffering from a massive lack of confidence. Yobo, several times, looked indecisive (or was it asleep?), Lescott has certainly lost it big time and Yakubu looks completely out of sorts. Arteta was again largely anonymous.
At the moment Jakielka is at the top of his game, with Fellaini much improved . However, the biggest single factor, for me at least, is Neville. Rightly restored to right back instead of midfield, his passing much improved, he has shown that will to do better at key times that has relayed a captain?s urgency to the rest of the team. I?m convinced that the crunching tackle was the turning point against United, just as his support of the attack last night sparked some life into us when it mattered att he end. It was as if Neville decided that the performance wasn?t good enough, but, hey, I?m captain and I?m going to try and do something about it.
As a previous Neville sceptic, I must admit, he?s earning his corn at right back at the moment.
COYB
Neville is a fullback and a decent one at that. He did it for United when they were at their peak. He just needs to accept his limitations and not aspire to be the central midfielder that he clearly isn’t.
I happened to see a re-run of Man United vs Newcastle from around ’99 the other night (I was in the gym, nothing else to watch while I was on the bike.....), with Pip at leftback. He was quality. He passed well, moved and even did a couple of step-overs.
He is far and away our best full-back. As long as he stays there.
I think a large problem with the hoofball is that our midfield goes missing. The defenders rarely have options when in possession, hence the reason why Howard never gives the ball to a full-back. The midfield needs to give options and come looking for the ball.
The Next five games will tell the tale. 10 -12 points a must.
Totally agree about Osman...yes he is a tidy technical player but he is just TOO WEAK & TOO SLOW to play every week at this level. Sometimes he looks like a kid playing against men...he gets pushed aside so easily !!
Time for Arteta to step up to the plate as his peerformances over the past 6-12 months have been dire...
Lescott...time to get your head back on big fella always remember form is temporary...CLASS is permanent !!
Cahill has to return to the starting line up as he is a genuine match winner...the only other one we have looks like he doesnt want to be on the pitch at the moment....Mind you cant blame him as I wouldnt chase aimless long ball hoofed up the pitch to nobody in particular. Give him the ball in the box and I’ve no doubt he’ll come good again...FEED THE YAK !!
Worked like a charm ? can?t beat it, in my view. Everton back in business ? same again Saturday, please Davey!
And Baines is certainly our best fullback, and Moyes is a complete disgrace for not utilising him.
One and a half games of competence and suddenly Neville is god... give me a fucking break. Well done on his competent displays ? but he is still one of the least gifted players I have ever had the misfortune to witness in a blue shirt!
How dare others make excuses for such an inept performance by claiming:
1. It was raining!,
2. Bolton play horrible football!
3. We did try to play it on the deck!
Answers:
1. So what! If rain stops us playing then there is no hope until April.
2. So what! Does that mean that we have to follow them? And incidentally although Bolton were rubbish, we actually made them look quite good at times!
3. No we didn?t! Hoofball back to its worst.
What an opportunity lost, to really carry on our passing game from Saturday?s second half. That really would have instilled some confidence.
It's not as if they can?t pass and move ? we have seen it happen. Must have been the tactics because Moyes sure as hell wasn?t screaming at them to settle it down, but instead was bellowing orders constantly to get it forward quickly.
Just when I start to feel some confidence, this club really knows how to stick it to us! I?m really fed up now. The gratefully accepted 3 points doesn?t compensate though. Some sound like they are too easily pleased. We should demand better ? we sure as hell deserve it!
OK we’re never gonna play like Barcelona, Arsenal or Man Utd but then who is?
At times we play some decent stuff, but I’ll wager that if you were to watch every game played at the Reebok this season, the majority of them will be dull affairs.
It takes 2 to tango Gary.
I know some people on this site seem to be happy as long as Everton won, I can understand that sentiment to a point, but sitting at the game last night absolutely freezing I can assure you I couldn?t wait for the game to finish.
For those people who say Everton didn?t play hoofball last night... "What game were you watching?" We were poor in most areas Arteta, Osman, Yakubu, Saha, Lescott, Yobo, the list was endless. Only IMO Neville, Piennar and Fellaini improving with every game, showed anything like being able to actually play the game of football.
After Saturday I thought Everton would be at Bolton, who must surely be certainties for relegation, but NO we returned to our old ways, no confidence on the ball, lashing it forward at every opportunity, and we would have lost this game only for the fact Bolton are so poor.
But like I said before it seems some people are happy as long as Everton win, me personally I expect more, like actually trying to play football.
But I?ll be in my seat in the Park End on Saturday, who knows they might win and actually pass to team mates in blue shirts, I live in hope.
I understand its annoying that the games are pretty poor at present, but we are playing with a lack of confidence and that can only be put right by winning games, not by playing 45 mins against Utd and expecting it to be sorted.
Last night will have done them the world of good - we did win after all!
Every time a pass was made it was skidding off the surface and bouncing all over the place... I think any team would have struggled.
The performance was poor but let's not go overboard!
For me, Neville, Pienaar and Fellaini did well, Saha and Yak had no service (Yak was NOT happy coming off) Lescott and Yobo were poor and Osman and Cahill didn?t seem to turn up...
Three points? I?ll take them but don?t kid ourselves, we are a long way short of where we where and where we need to be.
At least we played with two up front..
I think Baines is shite and am glad Moyes doesn?t pick him. I?d much rather see Neville and Lescott at fullback.
I was at the game last night and yes, it was shite, Everton were shite. But I was made up we won. Would people rather have seen us play well, been an entertaining game, but lost? I want to see us improve, play better football than we did last night and I think we will, but we have to accept that occasionally a game will be shite and if we win, great. One of my best mates is a Villa fan and he said they were shite last night, but won, he said that has happened a few times; so it?s not just us.
Here?s hoping for an improvement for the next few games. COYB
In the words of Heather McCartney, "Where the fooks me leg?"
Well we weren’t playing someone good and we won, it’s pointless to say otherwise. We all know that players play differently depending on the opposition.
Last night was very frustrating. The team seemed incapable of the most basic of footballing functions particularly in the second half.
I agree with an earlier point that in the first half they tried to play football, but always seemed to be half a yard off at the vital moment, be that a through ball, cross or shot.
The second half saw us stuck in a rut of poor passes which saw us taking the safety first option of the long ball on numerous occasions. There was often a pass to the midfield, but I presume due to the number of times we lost it there the defence were happy to play it to the forwards. Who in turn didn’t do anything with it.
But they kept going and won the game with the best bit of play in it, so credit on that front.
Oh, and if Moyes was telling them to hoof it why was he disappointed with the way they played?
I can’t believe some people believe that it’s his fault when normally reliable players pass a throw in straight back out of play.
I missed the game over here as had a few too many drinks after moving into our new place. It was on 6-8am here.
Any other bluenoses in Brisbane drop me an email.
johnleemaxwell@yahoo.com.au
Wouldn’t worry too much about the Bolton performance, we’ll be right.
And don’t understand the on-going criticism of Arteta. Thought his last few games have been good. Every seems to be caning him, I just don’t see it. Admittedly I only get to watch on the telly so don’t exactly see his positional play and running into space, but from the armchair, seems to be doing okay, sprinting on the break, on the ball regularly.....what’s the problem? If it’s only his crosses, should just get someone else to take them. His overall play though, doesn’t seem that bad....
8 points off 4th spot. Any takers?
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1 Posted 30/10/2008 at 06:01:18
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