Season 2011-12
The Mail Bag
Insult to injury
28 Comments: I don?t know what I hate most. Is it Stevie ?me la? getting possibly the easiest hat-trick of his career? Is it the sight of Dogleash milking it all; having wriggled off the hook he was most definitely on before this game? No, it?s actually seeing an Everton side for the first time in my 40-odd years of supporting the Club sending out a weakened team in one of the most important matches of any season.
How we play, win or lose in these derby games is a barometer of the mentality of the players and manager. In too many of these games under Moyes, we have been found wanting in this regard, with the occasional win or draw to keep morale afloat amongst both fans and players. No win at Anfield during Moyes?s tenure is damning. For every positive that might be put forward about his 10 years in charge at Goodison there is at least one negative to detract ? and his approach to games against the wealthy Clubs is one of the biggest. No away wins against Chelsea, Man U and Arsenal; but the most glaring is our seeming inability to win across the Park.
Why? In the build-up to last night, we were fed an unremitting pro-Moyes agenda. However, last night encapsulated Everton under Moyes in a nutshell. Last night, Moyes played the percentages. In the vast majority of games under Moyes we have played percentage football (keep it tight and nick one) and this formula has led us to a point where I believe too many fans now accept turgid football in return for not getting relegated; as though playing an actual passing game somehow guarantees relegation (try telling that to Swansea). But last night Moyes took his percentage game to new heights. He looked at the fixtures and, by his own admission today, decided 2 points from Spurs and Liverpool would do. Having got 3, he ?rested? the in-form players and put out a half-fit side full of squad players. He has gambled that this will give us an improved chance of beating Sunderland. He?d better be right.
But, whether he?s right or not, he has betrayed the supporters and he betrayed what we all believe our Club (not his or Kenwright?s) is about. He basically took our Club Crest and our motto and ripped it up in front of us.
Steve Guy, Posted 14/03/2012 at 15:08:38
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We've gone backwards, it was only last season that Moyes was saying this was the best squad he's ever had. Yet now we have 2 of the worst strikers in the league thrown in away at Liverpool. Anichebe and Stracqualursi should never play for Everton again, they are nowhere near good enough. People who think we should sign Strac should get real, he's rubbish. I'm fed up of hearing people praising the likes of him and Fellaini (who plays half hearted). Jelavic scores and gets dropped, just like Vellios and Yak before him. Coleman is not good enough as a right mid either, he's a fullback!
We're not going to win the league and while I think them twats will be laughing at us again, we've more chance of winning the cup. Which is a fact, because we're not going to win the league....!!!!
Now I understand last night was a joke - it was very poor indeed. However if Fellaini hadn't run up his own arse and put Stracq in, instead of givin' the fuckin' thing away AGAIN, we might have been one up. We were at the time on top....
I reckon everyone is overreactin' to be honest.
Lets get behind the team on Saturday and beat the Maccams then we'll have a Wembley day out again.
Yes, a cup quarterfinal is far more important. Who the fuck is interested in a derby match? I just don't suppose for one fleeting moment you could possibly imagine that just maybe we could have won BOTH of them, could we??
Best to air on the side of caution.
You said it yourself, 'a cup quarter final is far more important'...
Stop getting so annoyed about it all, you're as bad as me bird getting annoyed about all the sport I watch on tele for Christ sake.
Just wanted to ask what kind of laziness you see in Fellaini. The guy was all over the place. Saying he's not playing full-hearted is rubbish. Agree with Anichebe, though.
Does Moyes regard the Merseyside derby as 'inferior' to the 'Old Firm' I wonder ?
The second and third goals were mistakes by Pienaar and Drenthe respectively leading to fast breaks. To say that Fellaini should have anticipated these mistakes and covered Gerrard (when we were chasing the game) is absurd.
Fellaini is an excellent midfielder and needs a bit of support. I think that Gibson is the best option alongside him as Gibson does a lot of the donkey work and lets Fellaini play.
Rodwell (even though just back from injury) offers nothing other than sideways/backwards passes and if Man U are willing to give us 20mil for him I presonally would take the money and run
Wigan at home would say go for all out attack caution to the wind and batter shit out of them.
The shite away would definately suggest 4-5-1. For example, leaving big Vic on the bench playing Cahill in a five and giving him the duel role of getting in the box late and smothering that Gerrard scum like a bad rash.
Not only must the fitness levels between Vic and Cahill been huge but also the match sharpness. In a game like a derby speed of thought must be up there with fitness.
I know Timmy has to be rested every now and again but a derby is a derby. And anyway when did Moyes ever think of resting Timmy in the past.
Moyes has gambled big time. He certainly seems to have put all the chips on red. For his sake and ours, come w/end, I only hope it's not black that comes up.
If we lose to Sunderland Moyes should do the right thing and walk. God forbid another ten years of this drudgery.
In Moyes parallel universe he is always right and we are idiots for thinking otherwise.
Why do Everton players look so unfit? Gerrard was up and down the pitch like a man possesed and he has been out injured for ages, plus he's getting on in years...
Maybe the set-up in training of having ex-players as coaches is holding us back. (Do they just mess about and have a laugh instead of a fitness regime?) Moyes must stay in the office counting his £65k pew and watching daytime TV
I will go as far as saying that Fellaini is the only player on our books who would find a regular place in any of the top teams.
Of more concern to me is the direction taken in Rodwells career. Instead of improving even allowing for injuries I cannot see the likes of United et al offering a great deal for what was touted as Englands hope.
Methinks the lad should do a Rooney before Moyes completely ruins him.
He erred on the side of cowardice.
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842 Posted 14/03/2012 at 15:35:03
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Bringing back Jagielka and Anichebe in such a match, when they've both been long term absentees, was lunacy.
Resting Jelavic immediately after scoring a belter was lunacy.
Playing Anichebe and Stracq up front together was lunacy.
What the hell was Moyes thinking?