Or it could be mind games. Then again I've never known mind games from Fergie or Wenger to make their own fans think 'WTF??'

I looked for this quote in the Daily Post... where it was conspicuous by its absence:

?We?ve had some bad things said about our club after some games at Liverpool. But overall I think we?re having a right good go at getting results.

?I can?t bother about Liverpool, except to say I want to give the Everton supporters something to shout about. We?re much closer to Liverpool and maybe a lot of supporters will go there thinking we have a better chance.?

As if this ridiculous statement has been deliberately censored to protect the sensitivity of Evertonians...???

Typical Moyes. I can see 4-5-1 rearing its ugly head again tomorrow. Why cant he ever just talk positively? We all know our starting 11 is superior to theirs, so just go for it. COYB

It's interesting how differently this dissertation from Moyes is reported in different papers and internet sources. This one seems to be lifted from the Guardian and goes into a bit more depth.

Perhaps to be fair to Moyes, he does realise what nonsense this is at the end:

?We?ve always had a struggle against Liverpool because their resources have always been better, although when it comes to crossing the white line that doesn?t matter. There are no excuses. The job as a manager is to go and win no matter what your budget is.?

Exactly... so why spout all that shite? His prematch blabberings have been increasingly doing my head in. He gives far too much away to the press and far too much credit to his opponents. He needs to take a page out of Sir Alex's book and make 'em beg for scraps.

The man's not a winner, there's always an excuse but ultimately he just hasn't got what it takes.

I don't like him as a man and cannot stand him as a manager. No wins in over 30 away games against the sky 4 is a sackable offence on its own. Despite 2 recent wins he has lost his way at Everton and his refusal to stand up to the most incompetent bunch of idiots that we have ever had in the boardroom shames him. The script is written already for Sunday. We will lose not because King Kenny is back but because our own manager does'ent even back his own team

I'm sick of hearing this pre meditated excuse from Moyes before every derby.
I'd like to ask him "Why do you wait until the eve of a derby to sell our most creative player"?- What a downer that is to fans and players. Could he not have waited until a few days after the game before accepting any offers?..Surely we're not that desperate. Kenwright and the board should hang their head in shame.

How fickle we all are looking for nitpicks to snipe at the manager.

He was responding to a reporter who was insinuating that Liverpool had always WON at Anfield.

Moyesy doesnt do defensive except in tactics so he was just putting the record straight.

Wind your necks back in and save your energy for the big one.

Kind of sums Moyes up really: win or lose or get an other "unbelievable draw" tomorow, I still can't wait to see the back of the man.

"Surely we're not that desperate"

Let me assure you that we are that desperate.

But it makes sense...if Stevie P got himself injured or sent off tomorrow then we would likely get fuck all for him - which would no doubt lead to another round of Moyes bashing.

Anyway, we should be able to beat this pile of The Shite without him.

Typical of Moyes, as someone has just said, he's a loser, and a miserable cunt to boot!

In fairness Colin, you're not coming over as a ray of sunshine yourself.

Quote of a shithouse

Mindgames would be along the lines of "it'll be interesting to see how they respond to their first double dicking by Blackpool since 1946"

Easy Colin, there's absolutely no need for the c-word.

Moyes... It is your your negativity that is UN- FUCKING BELIEVABLE !!!

Lawrenson looked like he was about to cry on focus today when I think Ray Stubbs asked how many of the shites players would get in our side.

Lee Dixon helpfully interjected "Reina, Torres and Gerrard" not many at all I think he said.

It's a shame the fella who built our side doesn't feel the same. The fucking mug should never put himself in a position to be quoted saying a draw against the shite is "unbelievable" regardless of how he feels.

Yet more inferiority based nonsense from the man scared of his own shadow. Hopefully the players don't read the papers.

Goes to show that Moyes is not and never will be an Evertonian. No Evertonian would ever spout this shite especially on the eve of the derby. What a twat.

Is it any wonder when his boss says he feels pride when he hears the RS anthem, the two of them should be horse whipped for saying such bollocks.

Oh please cut this inferiority complex loose, because I don?t think there?s an Evertonian going into this Derby who feels that we are inferior to Liverpool.
---------------
No we don't. Because our club has been mnaged better than theirs for the past few years. Really if you are gonna say that Everton have every right to fell they are not inferior to yhe Shite, how about some bloody praise to those who put us there.
No win at Anfield, but four at Goodison woulda been more if not for the worst refeering in a certain derby since that bald twat in cup finals of the 80s.
-----------
And Alan Clarke... goes to show that Moyes is not and never will be an Evertonian. No Evertonian would ever spout this shite especially on the eve of the derby. What a twat.
---------------
apart from using your loose and disrepesctful language about our boss, name a boss who has stayed with Evereton as long as Moyes has: how is he not an Evertonian? You should take that back.

Roberto, when I said about the inferiority complex I meant on the pitch, not financially or off the pitch, I was referring to the players taking the field and the quality in our squad compared to theirs.

I think it is pathetic how his critics seize on certain Moyes quotes and blow them all out of proportion.

Read the whole article. He's right - they have spent a lot more than us, and not just on fees and massive wages. No wonder they're heavily in debt, for example £20m on Aquilani - disappeared into thin air. £20 on Robbie Keane, sold for £10m six months later. And so on. They've outspent us for years, and have finished above us for 22 of the last 23 years - most of the time finishing in the top 4.

Getting draws with them, given Moyes restrictions, has been an achievement. Maybe not one to satisy the deluded ones who still think we should uphold the Sir John Moores 'Littlewoods' Nil Satis Nisi Optimum principles whilst working with the Bill Kenwright 'Primark' lack of finance, but an achievement recognised by the realists.

Oh sorry, Roberto, I'm so so sorry. Moyes is an Evertonian, he's achieved such greatness during his time in charge and we should never question him or his greatness. I have written to the Pope to ask him to make him a saint.

Wake up, Moyes is clueless. He's managed to convince some of the less educated sections of our fan base that mediocrity is okay and we should never expect anymore. His latest comments sound far more koppite than Evertonian.

Simon, I consider myself to be a realist. This is the worst Liverpool side I have seen in my lifetime. If we go to Anfield and attack, play with confidence and set about them, then we will only lose through bad luck. If, however we have the usual Moyes negative, safety first shite, then, well, his time will be up.

I have to ask Roberto, given the paucity of the RS last season, how many derby games did we win? The negativity is a reflection of what has been on show. Moyes should be bigging up this derby as we've had a piss poor season so far with very few exceptions and he should know that beating that lot at Mordor would win pride for the blue half of the city.

Every time I hear or read a Moyes quote I think we'll never win anything again.

He's as inspirational as the plague.

A draw tomorrow would be unbelievable and unacceptable. Our coach is just dull. His demeanour and his tactics are uninspiring, negative and , well, just dull.

Now I really have heard it all - a lecture on positive thinking from the Toffeeweb doom and gloom brigade.

Give it a rest lads and maybe try looking at the world through rose-tinted spectacles for once rather than your permanently half-empty glasses!

Obviously we've had a diabolical first half to the season, but surely the players have to take as much responsibility as the manager for that - particularly the previously able forward line (who are also all on a ludicrous amount of money per week and who's job is ultimately let's not forget to put away the considerable number of chances we've created in most matches this year).


However, we've now won 3 and drawn 1 out of the last 5 (including 2 wins over genuine top 4 challengers with far more resources and a romp to the 4th round of the cup) and were let's face it somewhat unlucky to lose to Stoke (they only had 1 shot on target all game and yet scored 2 goals), we're playing pretty nice football and some semblance of belief seems to be returning to the squad.


What's more there's still plenty to play for yet.
If we win our derby tomorrow and Sunderland don't we'd be just 2 points off 6th with a game in hand and well in with a shout of Europe next year. And whilst our top 4 ambitions look beyond us right now, it's far from inconceivable that Chelsea and Spurs will wobble under further under the pressure, especially when CL kicks in again and there's a chance for some revenge in the cup too.

So maybe, just maybe, we could stop berrating Moyes (at least until after the match, eh) and set an example with some optimism and belief of our own?

I am not surprised at all by the quote, the man's ethos is safely, safely, catchy pointy. Why exactly does he give those lot such respect whenever he can? Years ago he would have told that reporter to "do one", now it seems he has given up.

Chris (#28) "set an example with some optimism and belief of our own?"

Shouldn't Moyes be doing that as it his remit as manager!

To be honest I couldnt give a flying fuck what line Moyes wants to feed the papers - one minute people on here are slagging the media off to the hilt then accepting the next article as gospel just because its Moyes. Do you not think Moyes is feeding them the same bollocks they feed us? Do you really think he's happy with his record at Anfield? My arse he is.

Also - pretty bad form throwing this bollocks around on the eve of a derby before a balls even been kicked, can we please all get behind the manager and the team until at least 4pm tomorrow and then have the inquest after...?

Get off Moyes's back, he does pretty well with the funds that are made available to him each year. If anybody should be leaving our club, it should be the board, especially Kenwright who just uses us as his toy.

Well said Mike - to my mind all this pre-match negative is very poor form indeed.

Andrew - As has been reported in several newspaper derby previews (but obviously not in this increasingly bitter whinge pit that mascarades as a 'supporters' site), Moyes did start the season with far more positive media messages reflecting the widely held belief amongst media and other managers (including the red-faced one) that this could be our year to crack the higher echelons and push the project he's been building to the next level.

I think it's abundantly clear by now though that this collection of players in general don't react very well to being amongst the favourites in most cases, as opposed to being the perennial underdog with backs against the wall and the do-or-die team sprit.

In some ways if you look at their histories (i.e. ailing careers elsewhere in the case of some, being plucked from lower leagues or much smaller sides for many more), this is perhaps hardly surprising, with only Pip really having a sustained history as playing in a winning side (and even then as a second choice in the Neville clan).

In this light I think Moyes probably should stick to the lower key line that seems to work in terms of taking pressure off his squad. It's noticeable our form has picked up massively since we've publicly trashed our top 4 ambitions.

If team management was really as easy as saying 'we're going to win this one lads' every match then perhaps more managers would have cottoned on?

Oh and as other posters have mentioned, maybe we shouldn't believe everything that's said in the media as being gospel truth. Even if it was I've got this sneaking suspicion that just maybe DM occasionally says something different in the changing room than he does in the media lounge...

Mikky said: "If you compare where the club was when he took over and where it is now, it's like comparing night and day.

"He's not been able to spend the money that any other manager has had.

"He's had to try to find other ways to take the club into a better position and find players and get players who can respond to him.

"For everyone at the club, for everything he has done, he is a legend."

Chris, "pre-match negative" mmm, a bit like the manager saying that a draw will do against a very average team, missing their talisman. I am not naive enough to believe everything that is written/reported in papers/ media and will happily confide that I don't buy any of them as they are normally to coarse to wipe my arse with. However, history and facts tell me that Moyes is far too concerned with not losing to suggest that this piece of journalism is that wide of the mark.

I appreciate your stance but find your lengthy retort rather amusing especially: "I think it's abundantly clear by now though that this collection of players in general don't react very well to being amongst the favourites in most cases, as opposed to being the perennial underdog with backs against the wall and the do-or-die team sprit."

Are you suggesting that the team started poorly because they were "talked up" as top 4 contenders? What about all the previous years and our terrible starts to the campaigns? I would suggest that if the team was set up to attack the poorer teams instead of the same tactics and formations we use against better opposition, we might not be having this discussion but we will never know as it has never been tried has it?

Winners are bred from a winning menatality, to be able to use flair, take a chance certainly not from being set up to play Barcelona each week.

A taxi for David Moyes.

I don't necessarily like the sentiment (that a draw is good at Anfield) but it sounds to me like the noises from Everton are intended to increase the massive pressure on Liverpool.

They spend more than us, they should beat us based on that, all the pressure is on them.

Their team is crumbling. Can they take any more pressure? Can their messiah?

Let's wait for Sunday at 4pm before getting too critical. I can see us walloping them and hammering a firm nail right through the heart of their hopes under the messiah (he's not the messiah).

COYB!!!

Not Moyes's biggest fan but he is an Evertonian and does his best and I respect that. He has been too negative to say the least, the way he sets his team up and substitutions.

Call me an optimistic but I think he's finally realised. I have no doubt he will play 4-4-2 tomorrow and have a go.

Reasons why we've been shit this season: yes Moyes, dour against average teams ? West Brom, Wolves, Newcastle ? but players have underperformed ? Heitinga, Saha, Howard. And biggest reason, sadly, is Arteta who has just been average rather than world class, like he used to be, week-in, week-out. I just hope he finally gets form.

Cheers,l Chris.

It's fucking hilarious the anti-Moyes brigade slagging him off for being erm... negative... when we've got the better team and chances tomorrow... and all they've done is been... erm... completely negative about everything.

Win lose or draw tmmw it is what it is and I'll still be an Evertonian. If we were to win 4-0 tomorrow, I'd love to see the response tomorrow after they'd finished pulling themselves all around the room.

COYB. LS.

Let's be positive boys and maybe Moyes may actually play 4-4-2 as Cahill is unavailable. Below is a battle cry I made to my Evertonian mates. I'll post it in the delusional hope that Moyes reads it before he picks the players tomorrow.

Call to Arms- redshite on the Horizon

Derby Day is upon us and we once again play the redshite (fuckers) from across the park at Analfield. Although I am as excited as the next Evertonian, I am taken back by the negativity of some and the at times defeatist attitude. I understand the mutterings about Moyes' negativity and our weak strike force, but am shocked when some start to cringe in fear of the redshite (scoundrels).

Livershite Redsox (bunch of lowely drunks) are in decline with a fanbase ('orrible gobshites/Norwegians) who are very much in denial, just like Newcastle fans were 2 years ago. Icelanders and Swedes everywhere cannot possibly fathom that they might be involved in a relegation scrap, as though they are somehow entitled to a European spot by default just because they have the only female strker in the league. Evertonians who witnessed the heart-stopping encounters with Wimbledon in 1994 and Coventry in 1998 know how close we came to oblivion; redshite players and fans (baboons and chimpanzees) know little about the lower regions of the table, which is luckily about to change.

Just like Newcastle 2 years ago, they now have put their faith in their messiah, a foolish knobhead with a haircut so daft it makes my pubic hair look like a Picasso.

Although they will probably not get relegated, I don't get why we fear them. In Stalin's days panic-mongers were shot. I advocate a far more extreme punishment, which is to watch the last few redshite (dickheads) games to see how shite they actually are of late. I have in my 25+ years of support never seen a weaker redshite team (pigfuckers) and with Gerrard (pigfucker) out, it's time to aim for 3 (THREE DAVEY) points at Analfield, the stench notwithstanding. I am sicjk of being scared of some cunt in a red shirt spoiling my week, whether his name is Ian Rush (Welsh Borat) or her name is Ponyboy Torress ( daddy's little princess).

Let's rally behind the ginger and give everything for our beloved Everton tomorrow and believe. Who knows, Davey might be forced to play 2 strikers if Pienaar is no longer with us. We may lose, but as long as we have a proper go a la Blackpool today I cannot care less if we lose. Well, I do care, but I know the gimps are there for the taking and with a steadfast Distin, a creative Baines, a fearless Coleman, an elegant (yes !)Fellaini and a sharp King Louie, we can win and usher in a new era where we take our rightful place as the number one club in the city of Liverpool.

COYB! FTRS!

Top marks to the Moyes fans for their loyalty and positivity. Sadly I strongly suspect all the optimism is going to go the same way as the optimism about competing with the top 4 this season. Remember that? The worrying thing is that if he were to take us down, you guys would still be singing his praises.

When it comes to the crunch Moyes sides can never hack it, not just at Everton either, Preston too. It's all set for yet another embarrassment at Anfield.

One thing at least to justify the misplaced (in my view) optimism usually, when I go public about Moyes, he manages tp do one of his turn rounds. Fingers crossed the same thing will happen at Anfield. Doubt it though.

I think his comments are taken out of context. In response to a comment saying we have played poorly at Anfield his response was more or less to say there has been some great perfomances without getting the wins. But I suppose he has thrown the wolves a bone and they are hungry enough to grab it and run with it.
Mark my words he will be doing his darndest to go for the win. End Of.

And you only just figured this shit out about our inept and truly stupid manager?

It's actually TWELVE years since the last time we scored more than one at Anfield - embarrasing to be honest.

Liverpool are a bottom half team on merit these days. A limp defeat there today will be up there with the very worst of a pretty dire season - and that's not even taking into account the fact that it's a derby at all.

Chris James - if you don't like this website you should put your head back in the sand and fuck off to Pravda or Bluekipper - both so pro Everton you'd think Moyes had nine titles to his name. "Bitter winge pit" - why the fuck are you here then?

Gavin - Ive got half a dozen pubs on my doorstep and one stands out as easily the best - best decor, landlord is a top man (bit dubious about his missus mind, could be the menopause) great jukebox, pool table, Sky, nice pint, lovely building, shame half of the clientele are miserable fuckers but it's not going to stop me drinking in there. After all, it's my boozer as much as theirs.

Mike Rourke,
comparedto moyes, I'm Tommy Cooper!

For fucks sake lads, we are entering what could be the most important game of the season...the 'six pointer' -the winner will find breathing space from the chasing pack and enter the next part of the league (top half!) and will be given the momentum to kick on.

Sadly many of you just want to tear into Moyes after reading an interview that has been written by selection. We have seen from the constant headlines this week that many a journalist (Tony Evans etc) are red noses and have used their positions to talk us down and that lot up.

Get ready, get to anfield or wherever you are watching it and be of fine voice and support. They are shit.

Bitter whinge pit....love it. Gavin, you and about 6 others on here are the reason he labels it as such because you agree to nothing ( often contradicting) and start many a post with 'what a load of...' so, if you or the others cannot agree on anything and change your mind like the weather, perhaps you should consider the same question you posed to James...why the fuck are you on here

I've always thought of Moyes as quite media savvy...

He plays them well, right from his 'Peoples Club' quote on day one he had the red shite fuming. He's quietly gone about his business never bigging us up to preposterous levels, always keeping expectations in check with our transfer funds. The beginning of this season I think he did well to say that this was the best squad of players etc, he'd secured Cahill, Jags, Arteta, Howard and Baines on new long term contracts and expectations right across his peers and the media were that this was our season.

I'm a glass half empty kind of person and our failure to strengthen in any department (yeah I know about Beckford) meant I couldn't see how we could kick on to the next level.

From day one our 'stars' with the acception of Cahill and Baines didn't perform, in fact they have been shite. Yet still, just past the half way point of the season, we are, after one of the worst starts to a campaign in recent memory sitting 5 points behind 7th placed (and strangely much lauded on here, Bolton) with a very winnable home game against Brum in hand.

I'm not an 'apologist', i'm a realist. This is the maddest season I can ever remember in my life for the so called underdogs beating the so called top teams with the exception of Man U. Wolves have just beaten Chelsea and the shite on the bounce for fucks sake...I wouldn't have minded a tenner on that double.

Back to my original point, Moyes and the media. He has absolutely set the scene for us to go out and park the bus and try and grab a draw.
I think he'll go 4-4-2 and go for the win from the off...

I'm changing my mind on this every five minutes but at this moment in time I hope i'm right...
Fuckin hate derby day...got woken at 6 am with butterflies in me stomach...
COYB IMWT..

It's mind games,,. pure and simple. (I hope) Playing down our expectations in public puts massive pressure on the Shite and Dalgliesh. If we can withstand the first ten minutes they'll crumble. The telling point will be the formation he sets out. If it's 442 he's playing mindgames, if it's 451 he's a negative bottler with an inferiority complex.
Excrementa delenda est.

Jamie, enlighten me where I contradict myself. I've been posting on here for years and have many a time admitted when I've been wrong but can't remember a contradiction.

For that matter name the other 6, be interested in hearing what this contradiction lark is and by whom.

This is one for you apologists. If Moyes reverts back to his negative approach today, against the worst redshite team in history, missing 2 players who are the heartbeat of their team, also, they had to play against with 10 men against Man u, and also had a midweek game, so will be fucked. Were every team is taking the piss - out of them this season, were Blackpool ( Who have got way, way less money than us ) have played them off the park twice by being positive, would you still back him to the hilt?

Then again Jamie, you were pro DK weren't you, been quiet about that since it got binbagged though.

Jamie - you can't even call it the traditional bad start, when over half the season is gone and we are near relegation places. Are you not a bit concerned that this is where we are after 9 years of the same manager?..I am. As Brian says, look what Holloway did to them twice.

Whatever David Moyes does today, his tenure has given me hope, but these last 2 years he has managed to take it all away. Notice how the media no longer link him to other jobs?, ask yourself Jamie.

Gavin - you are embarrassing yourself

Having a go at Blue Kipper for being too pro-Everton?

I thought blind faith and love for your team was what being a fan was all about?

I laugh listening to the anti-Moyes brigade as they appear to have forgotten how awful and hopeless we were in the 6 seasons before he joined. And, secondly, I suspect many of the moaners probably were in their prime in the 1970's which was a dreadful decade for EFC. How short their memories are - how did you lot apply the club motto to that era? The capitulation in 74/75 springs to mind...

What I am trying to say is, just because we are historically a big club, we cannot use that as a stick to beat Davey with because he has never had the money afforded to Kendall, Catterick, Bingham or even flipping Royle for that matter!!

So sort it out, get behind the team and stop moaning because you are giving Everton a bad name.

Andrew, ask yourself why Bluekipper get official interviews, its well known they toe the party line, have you just landed on the last boat?

Being a fan and supporter is about giving a shit and not blind faith, you get that in a cult.

The Chairman and his yes men give this club a bad name Andrew as do those who blindly follow his failings like sheep.

Andrew as you did have a rant about Royle's spending can you tell me what it was compared to DM's, I'll give you a starter on DM - £10m for a player who barely gets five/ten minutes per game (Bily), 15m Euros for a midfielder (Fellaini), Royle had £4m refused to him to buy Tore Andre Flo.

Once again reverted to form imo. Anichebe who doesn't deserve a place on the bench let alone a starting birth and osman.

Long ball hoofing at times and generally pretty poor this first half.

We are the superior team but at most times they are running us ragged , its just embarrassing to be honest.

We've had a few good chances but fuck all on target.. Where is Saha?

Andrew James, blind faith is what gets clubs relegated. It's Bill Kenwright who gives Everton a bad name. David Moyes has spent a considerable amount of money and has won nothing. What is worse is the fact that he has served up negative dross that compares with anything I have seen in 44 years.

If you care about your club you speak up about what you see as wrong. Gavin does that. Look at the league table, Andrew. Do you really believe that, for £3.5 million a year, this is the best we can get? I just cannot believe that here are Evertonians grateful for this shite.

Speaking of blind faith, I've just received this on Facebook - quite amusing, now is this Ian Ross or Black Bill? Oh and Johnathon, you're blocked and reported for spamming me:

Johnathan Matthews January 16 at 5:39pm Report
Are you the guy who is always having a go at Bill Kenwright on Toffeeweb? Leave Bill alone, he's a lifelong blue who does his best for the club.

He's made a few mistakes but doesn't deserve the kind of abuse he gets off so-called fans. Everyone makes mistakes in life and I don't believe Bill would ever delibratley mislead the fans. He needs backing, not stick, what do you want Kopite Peter Johnson back or one of these dodgy new owners that are about?

Support Bill.

IBWT.

Yes, another draw but at Anfield. I will take it ? especially after that poor first half. Pity we couldn't hold on again when we got the lead. Stiil the same old problems that keep us from winning games.

Distin despite his goal is a tad slow these days against players like Torres and always bypasses midfield by hoofing the ball up the field to the likes of Anichebe who really doesn't excel in the air or control the ball well and the ball comes right back.

Everton were apprehensive in most departments when the Reds had the ball in the first half. They just don't seem to believe they can take the game by the scruff of the neck from the beginning. Who else can this be attributed to but Moyes who cannot motivate this bunch with the right attitude?

Drawn games mean nothing and just keep Everton with the also-rans every season.

I haven't heard a peep or seen BK for months, where is he?? When the shit hits the fan he's never to be seen. All the hallmarks of a great Chairman. Come on bill it doesn't take this long to say 'Watch this space'!

"Are you the guy who is always having a go at Bill Kenwright on Toffeeweb? Leave Bill alone"

Well, that's you told Gavin you big bully.

Some employ top class solicitors and PR people to fight their corner, Bill bungs some guy on Facebook a fiver.