Another dismal performance from our boys against a team who is fighting relegation. The point I want to make is that even though the TV commentators and our club keep stressing that we have a numerous amount of injuries to key players, but for me yesterday’s team looked a strong side to play against Hull.

You can say that Fellaini was suspended (what has he done to benefit the team of late?) Neville injured… (Replaced by Johnny Heitinga who was awarded Dutch player of the year!) and can play in numerous positions as does phil.

At the back we had as centre halves Yobo and Distin who are all full internationals or on the fringes and have played regularly in the team.

Full backs Leighton Baines and Lucas Neill as well, full internationals.

In midfield we had Tim, Rodwell and Pienaar which is quite impressive as we have one of the most talented young midfielders in the country even though Moyes played him on the right but still if you are a good, promising player you should be able to play anywhere.

Up front Saha and Yakubu .. For me they should put fear into any defence.

The truth is that there was no link up play from midfield to attack and in the first half I can not recall once us having a shot at goal, we are to defensive minded with no creativity and from the whole team no one stood up to make that little difference (as did Hunt for Hull).

Just hope we are better on Sunday!

I've had enough of this bullshit. The first half, was the worst 45 minutes not only watching football, but my life. I have never seen more disgraceful display in my life.

Rodwell on the right? What the fuck. Our man marking? Total bullshit. The second goal, if you saw was Howard on the right post, where the ball was placed. Yobo was on the left. I don't know what the fucking hell happened but Howard moved, and they scored. Third goal? That clearance was horrible. And who was on him?

Take examples of Benfica and Arsenal, most of the goals were from crosses. No one marking. To make matters worse, were playing shite on the weekend. Mr. Moyes, you are the weakest link, goodbye.

Since the disgrace of last night, I've had a good look at the players available to us for Sunday and feel the following lineup will provide a better balance to our team - whilst accomodating certain players in their favoured positions.

On Sunday, I would go for the following -

 Howard Hibbert Yobo Neill Baines Gosling Rodwell Billy Pienaar Cahill Saha 

Can this be improved on for Sunday?

It seems that David Moyes and Bill Kenwright have brought the club full circle. Once more we are a shambles both on and off the pitch. It's been an interesting journey with plenty of highs but in my view they have been years of wasted opportunity. So close, but never quite good enough.

I can't deny that David Moyes restored pride to the club but his tactics have been often one dimensional and uninspired. His main strength has been as a motivator and for whatever reason that is no longer there, perhaps familiarity has bred contempt.

Last night's performance was a gutless, shameful humiliation. There are not three worse sides in the Premier League than Everton. We got lucky at Portsmouth and West Ham but we are now in a relegation battle.

Yesterday was a landmark day for Everton and it would be good if the decline stopped now. For that we need a new start without Moyes and Kenwright. Moyes should resign now with his reputation still intact and while he can still get another job. To stay at Everton will destroy him.

As for Kenwright, well his beloved project is dead. If he has any honour or integrity he would go along with his coach. We shall see.

I know with today’s stadium news that this may be only a side issue, but I seriously believe we are in freefall. My aspirations for getting into the top four has totally reversed into keeping out of the bottom four. I fear for the club’s survival this season when teams like Hull City are not just beating us, but like most of the Premiership, is out-ambitioning us.

And after what’s happened to Liverpool this week it’s got to be the worst possible time to play them. I hate being an Evertonian.

Finally someone showing some enthusiasm to play in the blue shirt. Give Stubbsy a game!

As much as it pains me to say it but I feel we are mssing Lescott in the centre of defence. Watching the game last night I became increasingly fed up with watching Yobo and Distin just welly the ball forward to no one! Oh, except their players to just start another attack!

When Lescoot was there we had a player in defence who could get the ball down and pass it as well as score his fair share of goals. He even bombed up and down that left side a few times keeping Baines out of the side. Dont get me wrong it was fantastic money that we were given for him and he had to go due to the unrest he was causing within the squad, but in Distin we have not even begun to fill the void he left.

I would love to see a Jags/ Rodwell pairing at the back once Jags is back fit as he is sorely missed and then maybe we will stop shipping so many goals. It concerns me every time a team attacks against us.

And who is our number 1 right back? I'm not sure even Moyes knows! I think having a forward in Saha who has got 8 goals this season shows we can score goals but the defence is appauling and something needs to be done!

However, I do suport David Moyes and trust he will turn things around as hes a class manager and any talk of him quitting is utter rubbish! Heres to the second half of the season and getting some players back to fitness (and beating the Shite).

Chris..
I totally agree that Moyes has got to go, he has the tactical nouse of retarded camel....

I Gotta question one thing you said though...surely nobody on the playing staff is on anywhere near £65k a week...!?!

Firstly only Arteta & Jagielka’s injuries were not as the result of heavy (or obscene) challenges.

Secondly, despite the mitigation of the injuries, and any fair minded Evertonian accepts that (for a squad such as ours) the impact is major, there is something profoundly wrong with the team.

There have been suggestions that the way Moyes treated Lescott lost him respect from some players. If the rumours of what happened were true then they are disturbing. That, or other things, may explain the utter inadequacies of our performances on many occasions this season.

We started the season as we always do; unfit, unprepared, unfocused, crap. Despite the distraction of the Lescott saga, Moyes is being paid almost £4m a year to manage a squad of players to optimum effect. I think he has unarguaby failed on this based on our pathetic start, and not for the first time.

The rest of it is widely known. Our tactics just seem so predictable, tedious, defensive, unattractive. Who else plays 4-5-1 at home to Wolves? Moyes bemoans the lack of wide players and, instead of fashioning a system that suits the players, he squeezes and kicks square pegs into round holes. A more innovative coach would be looking at things like 4-2-3-1 as Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool (sorry) and other leading clubs on the continent have adopted.

The players have most certainly not covered themselves in glory. But, and this is with huge reluctance, I just don’t see the way forward with Moyes anymore. It looks very much as though he has lost the respect of some players. he has certanly lost the art of staying strong publicly and with the players. And after all he’s paid a lot to do that. He looks depressed and devoid of any ideas.

You wouldn’t wish such an injury crisis on anybody. It’s been horrible. But adversity can shape a man. The charge list is now getting longer and frankly it seems only a matter of time. I guess the major thing stopping a change is our total financial inertia and the remaining time on Moyes contract.

Right now I believe he should be replaced,perhaps before it gets undignified for all concerned. Several aspects of his performance have become unacceptable, including:

- Perpetually poor preparation for start of almost every season.

- Dreadful selection of pre-season opponents compared to our competitors. Even mid-table EPL clubs were taking on Real Madrid, Barca, Milan, Valencia, Bayern, Bordeaux, etc etc. We go for Blackpool, Rochdale and, our showpiece, Malaga.

- Inflexible tactics & lack of any innovative direction, especially in current plight.

- Poor game management. Often seems slow to spot problems and change them (e.g. right side in cup final).

- When everyone is fit he is utterly disinclined to any real rotation, even for low-key games.

- Very poor standard of football & intelligence on the pitch. Hoof & watch has all too often replaced pass & move.

- His public demeanour has become increasingly dour and introspective. He looks increasingly helpless.

This has been a bad news week for the club to rival any from the past (even if you are against DK it ’s a negative move in one sense). There is a real danger, given Moyes’ personal state of mind, that we could slide into chaos and oblivion. I am truly now starting to contemplate such a thing as at least a possibility.

I know he won’t, of course he won’t, not least because it would cost us money we don’t have. But if there was ever a time for Kenwright to step out and speak to the fans it really is now. Evertonia is looking for direction on and off the pitch. Off the pitch I would like to see EVERY braincell focused on making a joint stadium at least a possibility. On the pitch Everton needs freshening up. Waiting for the injured lads to rescue us puts too much pressure on them and could result in the mother of anti-climaxes.

Time to freshen up. Time for some excitement. Time for a change.

Time for you to shorten yer posts an all Alan... That was like reading the koran.

"There is no excuse for last night, except that the Manager is the most negative, excuse-making indivdual in the employment of Everton"


He said: "The performance was shocking and we all take responsibility for it. I’ve seen a few poor performances since I’ve been here but that (first 45 minutes) will be up there with the worst of them.

"It is up to the players to take responsibility but I take responsibility for the players I select."

Doesn’t sound like an excuse to me, pretty much saying it was all his fault.

Woops, sorry forgot the other quotes

"We could be dragged into a relegation fight - particularly because of the injuries and individual performances. But I am the one who has to take responsibility for the team. I pick the team and I sign them.

"I’m the one who has the ultimate responsibility."

I Like it Tony Gee!

Getting rid of Moyes while Kenwright is still here would be utterly pointless.


There are bigger problems at this club than Moyes’ innability to drop Cahill..

Sean Mc, exepting Gosling I like the team you named. IMO Dan is not and won’t ever be premiership standard.
I expect him tol be kept on the books as is Osman and just like Leon he will occasionally show glimpses without really really cracking it.
Manwhile other youngsters are denied the opportunity to show their worth.

For me Distin is better than Neal. Pienaar would be better suited in the middle and Bily has a better delivery.

After seeing us serve up another load of diabolical shite against Hull last night, it got me thinking "where did it all go wrong?". I'm used to not seeing us play total football, but the players made up for it through their fitness, commitment, energy and fight. This gave us an extra 10% and mode often than not, the difference between 1 point and 3.

This season, however, has been the opposite. Now I'm not going to bang on about Kenwright, or slag the players and Moyes off, plenty of other people do that far more eloquently, but what I will say is this, and I don't think many people have realised it...

We sorely miss Alan Irvine.....

He was always the go-between for the players and Moyes, he was well liked and respected by the players, though he was no soft touch. I'm sure we've all heard the stories about the half time bollockings he used to dish out. I personally feel that Moyes needs him, as however good Steve Round is (personally, I like him, but he seems to be a bit of a Phil Neal type yes man), we miss a strong Number 2 who isn't scared to speak to Moyes during the game, and not just listen and nod like Round does.

Moyes would never admit it, but it's clear to see that since Irvine took over Preston, the quality of our play has deteriorated rather worryingly, and shows no sign if imminent improvement.