Haha... good try again, fella, but you're pissing in the wind, I'm afraid to say. I can't see David Moyes changing his modus operandi four games in when we have only just dragged ourselves off the bottom of the table.

What those people were expressing is more a resignation that Moyes is not going to change overnight — especially in the current situation where he has to bed in new players and try to rebuild a decimated defensive system that is the cornerstone on which he builds his teams.

Only when that is firm and solidly grounded will we see even a glimmer of more expansive football... and probably not before we have those all-important first 40 points in the bag.

But well done for trying to raise the standard!

I don't want Moyesy to change! I'm an eighties baby, I've seen poor teams from Walker, Royle and Smith. If Moyes can bring us top 6 finishes on the few bits of change Billy Boy finds down the sofa then good for him.

Yes, I may not be so fortunate to see the great teams of the past, but the only way we're going to try and get in the top four or five is playing the way Moyes has had us doing since he took over, then fair play to the man. Unless you are a top team in the Premier League, you cannot be the most attacking or adventurous team, just ask the Barcodes or even spurs. In Moyes we trust!!!

To coin a phrase Andrew, you are pissing in the wind if you think your view with be taken with any sense by the majority of posters on here.

We are constantly reminded how shit our players are and how they should be shipped out for a profit whilst we still can get something for them (bit of an enigma that, if they are shite why will someone buy them?); however, it's Moyes’s fault that these shite footballers are not steamrolling everyone placed in front of us, including the Sky 4 teams.

Football fans are an illogical bunch, we are shite but should still be leaving everyone in our wake and to go against the status quo on here that our manager is also shite, a coward and tactically inept is just not cricket old boy.

I am guessing Moyes will be aiming for a clean sheet, his first of the season. Bloody center-backs...

"I am guessing Moyes will be aiming for a clean sheet, his first of the season. Bloody centre-backs..."

Didn’t EFC win the Europa League tie at GP 4-0?...

’Keep it tight and try to pinch one’ is a mantra that has got David Moyes and Everton where we are today. Why on earth should our excellent manager change tactics now?

No, John, it’s 4-5-1 home and away — and long may it be so, say I!

At the end of last season we did not play "to keep it tight and try and pinch one" at Craven Cottage. We gave them a footballing lesson and the 2-0 score line flattered Fulham.

It's more about confidence than how Moyes sets up the team. If we have confidence, we flow forward and pass the ball well — as we did on several occasions last season, even without Arteta.

The second (or was it the third goal) against Villa away last season was a joy to watch, over a dozen passes before the goal. All done with a 4-5-1...

I think the problem with this fixture is that Fulham have a very good record against us. Apart from last season I believe they have beaten us at Craven Cottage 100%.

That's every single game we have played there apart from last season. Thats why you're finding a lack of confidence going into this game.

In all honesty John, can you see Moyes being positive? I can’t. Another thing John, you were expecting some positive replies from your article. There are too many fans these days that think a top 10 finish is sucess. How they make that out God only knows. If this so called trust they have in Moyes was genuine, they would be screaming at him to have a go at these Fulham type teams.

I think you’d have gotten a far more positive response if this was 4-5 weeks in, John. Moyes hardly has Everton primed to go on the B of the bang at the start of each season and although a hammering from the Gunners shouldn't come as any great surprise anymore, a lot of Evertonians are feeling a little shellshocked.

I’m sort of with you, but I can't see Moyes ringing the changes; the players on the pitch, however, will now be looking nervously at those on the bench. I hope The Cottage becomes our new WHL. After a seemingly endless close season, the dreaded international break is now out of the way.

I really can't wait for Sunday...

I dont think Moyes is totally averse to attractive football, at least I truly hope not, but I suspect he considers it somewhat the icing on the cake. Once he’s got the mixture right & baked the cake then he can worry about the icing & decorations to adorn it.

Every season we seem to have a short spell when the team seems to reach a higher level of performance & we get a glimpse of how good they can be on their day, but most of the time it’s safety first & nick a goal or two as & when. I’m sure Moyes would be happy to win with style, but his priority is the win — the style may follow.

Depend on it, Moyes will play the game he believes will be the one that’s best for the club.

If, and I appreciate it may not happen, he includes Bily and Heitinga, these lads have to bed into the team and it will obviously be something the team have to got to get accustomed to.

Listen, the Premier League is one of the tightest in the world, a goal either way can nick the 3 points. It’d be great playing fancy dan football but I’d point you the way of WBA last year who played us off the park and got beat. You're living in dream world if you think that you can play like Brazil in this league. If one of my defenders suddenly starts prancing around and playing cute little flicks just to look good, I’d personally lynch him!

I think you're right — we should set out to win every game. Not because we're Everton or because of our history, just because that's how the game should be played. There may be a few exceptions to that, such as away in Europe, but overall it’s a much more successful strategy than playing for a draw.

Richard, Are you any relation to Ken? You're the only Evertonian who I couldn't dream of having a pint with.

Since when is playing a defensive and controlled tactic considered as unconfident? What astounds me every time is people trying to get us to deviate from what has proved to be our most successful tactic.

If this current team employed the kind of football you want to see, we would be mid-table at best. You have to play to your strengths and abilities. Playing defensively does not mean you are unconfident or not as good as other teams. We proved we were better last year, by finishing above most of them.

After witnessing the poor display at Burnley, I will be at Craven Cottage, hoping for a more adventurous performance. However, that depends on what team and formation Davey Moyes decides to settle for.

I would expect to see the new boys on show, with the Dutch lad and Bily providing us with more attacking options, than of late?

But we will have to hope that they come out of Wednesday’s international games unscathed, and the manager can select from a full squad and get a result in London.

If a defensive first mindset means "no confidence" then it’s amazing the success some teams have had playing "without confidence." Teams have won the Champions League and World Cup playing "without confidence."

As others have pointed out, formation does not automatically equal anything. 4-5-1 can turn into 4-3-3 and produce great football. 4-4-2 can be hoofball. I’ve seen relegation teams play 4-4-2, lose horribly and play terrible football too.

First off, Richard Dodd - have you become some kind of camp rapper?

It would be great to see us jinking around the pitch, but Fulham away is unlikely to be scintillating given both teams uninspiring starts.

There have been a number of teams who have tried playing "sexy football", generally resulting in more experienced EPL teams grinding results against them. Both Norwich and West Brom we’re heralded by the media, but quickly forgotten as soon as they faced relegation.

I’m sure Moyes doesn’t ask the team to serve up dire shite... but he’s not ever going to be a man who take risks until he has to. If we’re comfortably 3-0 up then by all means flicks tricks galore - Moyes let’s the team off they’re collective leash, but if that ends up getting back 3-1 then all hands to the pump defend-first mentality.

It’s been successful on the whole since Moyes’s arrival, but he clearly has been hoping to increase the depth and strength of the squad. Exactly how long he’s prepared to challenge himself on a limited basis (budget) remains to be seen, but then we really are slipping into negativity.

For what it’s worth I reckon we’ll win 2-0 with a 70ish minute and v.late flattering goal. You never know, I may end up helping Derren Brown out picking the lotto results.

Negative football? We have the best style of football outside the top four easily... and I still think that when we are on song we pass it more than that glorified Bolton across the park — now there’s a negative long ball team.

Aston Villa, with their so-called electrifying wingers and fluid play, got played off the park in three games last season and were lucky not to lose all three soundly. Indeed we thrashed them in the Cup with Anichebe and Gosling on the flanks, Neville Rodwell and Arteta in the middle and Cahill up top on his own against almost their full strength side.

I remember us destroying Arsenal as well at Goodison unluckily only claiming a draw. Perhaps Man City and Spurs will over take us this year through force of spending but that doesn’t mean Moyes plays awful football and we’re a hoofball team — far from it. We’re playing poorly at the moment and the midfield and defense hasn’t clicked yet; people are missing and confidence is low... but everyone still expects us to beat Fulham — one of the so-called passing sides in this league.

Thank God for James Martin - finally a few words of wisdom.

When we are on song we play some of the best two touch football in the league. It’s true that recently we have lacked the confidence to play as neatly as we were at the start of ’09, but this is mainly due to the fact the cornerstone of our midfield has been sat in the stands. Thankfully Rodwell took up the mantle against Wigan and our back four were prepared to play through him.

Don’t get sucked into the ’we are dire’ bullshit spouted by some on here; you’ve been listening to knobheads like Beglin and Marwood a little too much. Those of us who go to Goodison regularly know that when the confidence is flowing we are good to watch. Most teams play it tight away from home but we still a team (unless Yobo or Hibbert panic) who keep the ball on the deck in a controlled manner. It’s no coincidence that some of our best performances have been in Europe when we’ve played a patient passing game.

Can’t wait for Sunday either - fuck this international shite!

The bottom line is that the players we have are not good enough. Perhaps the new signings may make some difference. The DM plan with his current guys is pass it around for a while and then through a lack of real incisive skill pump up the high ball to Saha, Jo or Fellaini and just hope they can win it and set up the midfielders for a shooting opportunity.

Sadly we don’t have a midfielder who has a decent shot except maybe Arteta who generally needs a dead ball situation. There is some hope with young JR who can crack them but will he get enough playing time from DM?