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I have generally been a supporter of Moyes throughout his tenure and I still think calls for his head are a little premature. You cannot escape the fact however, that he has been shambolic this season.
Take player positions for example. Osman has been behind the striker, either flank, deep lying midfielder. Rodwell, attacking mid, holding mid, right wing. Arteta, attacking, holding, both flanks. Every week the team sheet is different. One minute Heitinga and Neville are flavours of the month... then, by the end of the game, Osman and Arteta are back in the middle only to start the next game wide on the flanks with Cahill, Fellaini and Rodwell back in the middle.
Formations. Moyes takes a gamble with 4-4-2 and gets a stunning win against Spurs, next week its back to 4-5-1. Saha gets injured so he is replaced by Beckford who strikes up a promising partnership with Osman, only to then get dropped for no reason for Anichebe. Against City we went 4-4-2 for the second half and won only to then find 4-5-1 back out against West Brom. Does Moyes just desperately go for the 4-4-2 in hope or does he actually have it as a fully trained viable back up plan?
What manager in the premier league doesn't know his best starting 11? Even Fergie with all the talent at his disposal has finally settled on one. Moyes absurdly sticks to exactly the same players early season despite their horrible results. When injury forced him into a new line up and results improved he then morphed into the tinker man picking some of the most bizarre Everton teams I've seen for a while.
Versatility is fine and probably essential for our small squad. It is no surprise however that our results are poor when the starting line up is getting changed every week.
If Moyes buys in the summer, he's going to have to hope he gets lucky and buys a player that hits the gorund running straight away. Otherwise, how can you justify Moyes's transfer criteria? If you don't even know your own formation and what players will play in it, how can you accurately go out there and target the player you need to fit into a system and improve it?
Any summer dealing seems like a blind stab in the dark to me. I wouldn't know which department to overhaul first. Maybe I'll just cover all my bases and buy a midfielder who can play attacking, defensive mid on demand and can also function in any of the wide areas wilst covering both centre back and striker slots.
Reader Comments (33)
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2 Posted 15/05/2011 at 18:43:25
The trouble is, he generally sticks to that starting 11 and formation regardless of the players' form or who we're playing or if any of them is just coming back from injury and/or unfit. And should any of his first 11 be unavailable, either though injury or suspension, from what I can tell, his method is to stick "the next player in line" into the starting line-up without considering if 4-5-1 is still the best formation to use considering the personnel and any other circumstances.
To be fair, he has played 4-4-2 on occasion, but that's usually when we're already a goal or two down and he has no choice but to go for broke. If memory serves me right, he's only played 4-4-2 from the off on two or three occasions this season, and that was when Saha was fit and with Beckford partnering him. (I think it was the period after we beat Spurs.)
For my money, his preferred starting 11, regardless of form, fitness or who we're playing, are:
Howard
Baines
Distin
Jagielka
Neville
Fellaini
Arteta
Osman
Heitinga
Cahill
Saha
3 Posted 15/05/2011 at 19:09:43
4 Posted 15/05/2011 at 19:37:55
5 Posted 15/05/2011 at 19:54:35
The nightmare is Moyes getting some dough from the sale of Baines or Rodwell ?- blowing it amidst the usual shit start, then jumping ship leaving us with our bollocks in our hands.
6 Posted 15/05/2011 at 20:11:16
Moyes going to Man U to replace a winner??? Eeerrrrrrr... nope.
7 Posted 15/05/2011 at 20:01:13
People say Moyes deserves a chance with financial backing. However, I don't think I could trust him to bring in the right players. He's had money before, and hasn't bought what we really needed. Moyes has hit a brick wall, and to me, he doesn't really know what he's doing.
The last two seasons have been abysmal by our standards. Moyes has set these standards, and he's failed to meet them.
I thank him for what he's done for us, but I think it's time to move on. You can blame Kenwright for not backing Moyes, but we all know that, despite spending nothing in the summer, we were all confident of doing something great this season. Moyes described it as the best squad in 25 years? We've suffered a lot of draws this season, and that's down to the negative style that we play. No doubt about it.
Graeme Sharp was spouting on the radio yesterday that we need a striker, and that we don't have nothing in the box. Well, if we went with Vic and Beckford up top together, and played a bit more positively, we might've done something yesterday.
We are boring at the moment, and that's down to Moyes. We had a great array of attacking talent when looking at the squad at the start of the season. But Moyes's tactical ability has held it back. Another season has been wasted. How many can we afford? While Arteta, Cahill, Jags, Saha are getting on and Lescott, Pienaar and Yakubu moving on. Not forgetting the dreaded sale of one of our star players again in the summer. How many disappointing seasons can we afford under Moyes???
"Unbelievable draws" and "7th places feels like winning the Champions League" ? How embarrassing.
9 Posted 15/05/2011 at 21:19:17
This is his squad, his players and his tactics ? for all his talk at the start of his best squad, it is laid bare by his one-dimensional approach to football and his stubborn refusal to change his tactics. Yes, it is unlikely to get us relegated but will it ever win anything?
I for one think its time for a change.
10 Posted 15/05/2011 at 22:12:32
11 Posted 15/05/2011 at 22:49:44
12 Posted 16/05/2011 at 01:33:50
I don't anymore.
Please go to Villa and leave us alone.
Take Anichebe with you.
13 Posted 16/05/2011 at 01:38:55
In my eyes, it's simple: we want to win things ? Moyes is not a winner. So let's look to replace him as you would look to replace a poor striker like Anichebe... oh hang on wait...
14 Posted 16/05/2011 at 04:37:12
When won't they be premature? 15 seasons of 4-5-1, no trophies, 8 more record signings either sitting on the treatment table or heading down to a Championship club, and press conferences after a 1-0 loss saying how great the players performed?
15 Posted 16/05/2011 at 05:30:55
16 Posted 16/05/2011 at 06:39:48
Tony Stanley, spot on too ? we are skint so we need to get some of our youngsters up to scratch and if he cannot have the balls to play Gueye or one of the others in a meaningless game against poor opposition, what chance will they have next season?
My only worry is, when he does leave, Kenwright will take the cheapest option and give the job to Neville.
17 Posted 16/05/2011 at 09:21:26
Let`s just enjoy him whilst he`s here ? might not be for long now!
18 Posted 16/05/2011 at 10:13:35
It's time to go.... Davie.
19 Posted 16/05/2011 at 10:51:30
20 Posted 16/05/2011 at 12:39:16
Each season I say to myself "a good preseason and all will be well with the world..." However, especially with the lack of cash I'm not convinced about next season.
Bily just hasn't stepped up. Anichebe just isn't going to be a striker and right wing hasn't been solved.
Arteta may be coming good again and hopefully he is but I think the time is now to off load him to a Spanish team. Let Osman or Rodwell take his place.
21 Posted 16/05/2011 at 12:51:46
22 Posted 16/05/2011 at 12:53:39
I thought Arteta was absolutely non-existent for about 80% of the game on Saturday.
They all played rubbish, I was suprised with Victor's turn and shot because he absolutely raped the defender and but for Carson's trailing leg, it would have been a brilliant goal... he's still shit mind you, but perhaps there is a little sliver of hope for him... (I doubt it.)
24 Posted 16/05/2011 at 14:37:24
I eventually read the rest of your article, thus confusing me as to why you think calling for his head is premature. You seem to have your mind made up on him, and I agree with everything you said.
Moyes is possibly the only man in the world working a non-government/city job for nearly a decade without getting results or being shown the door.
People say how poor certain players have been. For me, short spurts of poor form are down to the player, and the manager can help them get back into their game. Longer (season long for instance) periods of poor form, a la Bily, are down to a manager and his refusal to work with him in a productive way. I harp on about him, but in the last minute of our season last year, he scored one of the best goals an Everton players has scored in the Premier League, and in the space of an off season against Brisbane and Melbourne, he was not in Moyes plans. £10mil down the drain, and a very talented footballer going to waste.
Heitinga is a winner, and has acheived more in 27 years than Moyes will in a lifetime, yet isn't in our best 11? Sorry Davey, wrong again.
25 Posted 16/05/2011 at 16:25:05
Perhaps a new fresh direction is needed and, if we had any sort of financial stability and spending power, then for me I would be all for a new manager. Knowing however that the 13 teams below us in the league are usually complete rubbish, fighting relegation all season, and that the 6 teams above us are laden with cash and the European football merry go round, with our current board's incompetence and meagre funds, I know which direction Everton are more likely to go.
I really thought Moyes was onto a good long term plan a few seasons back when we were playing well at home and in Europe (cruelly ended by Fiorentina). We had good players at the top of their form in the right positions: Lescott, Arteta, Yakubu, Cahill, and a crop of promising youngsters coming through. This has been sadly dashed, however... and it has got to the point were even seeing Andy Johnson running into a channel for Fulham leaves me a tad jealous.
If Moyes shows next season he has some idea how to take this group of players forward, then fine; if he's just going to take a scatter-gun approach to team selection, focusing only on the short-term target of reaching 40 points every year, then I'd show him the door myself.
Heitinga isn't my favourite player but I agree with you in that how Moyes hasn't called on him once despite our inability to keep a clean sheet is baffling. The defense have been shocking this year yet all of them seem untouchable.
I totally agree with you on Bily. Less natural attacking players, Rodwell, Cahill and Fellaini, have all seen decent game time in central advanced roles. Bily hasn't been moved once from the left flank where he is so obviously wasted. Heitinga and Neville with their limited defensive games are preferred in central mid to a player who can obviously pass, has played their on an international level and has a goal threat. Criminal.
26 Posted 16/05/2011 at 20:11:11
Sam, I'm assuming this is ironic? If so, I'll admit to being 'got'... at least for a second or so.
27 Posted 16/05/2011 at 20:25:04
Just a question as I am curious to find out from fans who back Moyes.
What would have to happen for you to lose faith in the manager?
28 Posted 17/05/2011 at 00:00:46
He makes mistakes, but the core of the team is always strong. This is something other managers aren't able to sustain, even if they may appear to make 'better substitutions' or appear clearer about their attacking intent. Both common criticisms of Moyes.
29 Posted 17/05/2011 at 04:56:54
Moyes has ridden the coat tales of 04-05 ever since, with a lot of supporters being led to believe that Europa League was a good enough achievement. Personally, if you finish top 4 in a season, miss out on the group stage of the Champ League, then fail to requalify the following year, you've failed as a team and the manager should go.
Personally, if Wenger leaves or is sacked by Arsenal before Moyes...
30 Posted 17/05/2011 at 10:04:03
"Lose twice in a season to a side like WBA." ? or do the double over the FA Cup Winners and Champions League Qualifiers... both our statements are as useless as each other. The season is 38 games not two where we played extremely poorly and had a man sent off, one our most creative player, straight after one of theirs should have been red carded for a terrible foul/elbow.
31 Posted 17/05/2011 at 11:26:25
I can. And look up the word 'fact'. Then look up the word 'opinion'.
Everyone without money wishes they were us and wishes they had Moyes, we're what they're all aiming for.
32 Posted 17/05/2011 at 12:16:41
Couple tahtw ith hsi chronic inabilty to perpare a squad for a new season, dire tactics, baffling team selections.
Large amounts of money wasted e.g. Kroldrup, Bily.
ASTON VILLA please take him hes all yours.......
33 Posted 17/05/2011 at 12:48:14
We will sell him to a newly promoted side or one already in the Championship but at least we will get a little bit of money for him.
34 Posted 17/05/2011 at 12:24:45
You forgot 'and can give his all between the sticks' (e.g. Jags)
35 Posted 17/05/2011 at 15:03:43
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1 Posted 15/05/2011 at 18:49:58