Having just about calmed down from Saturday’s debacle let me try and present a rational view of events.
Wigan came to Goodison worried about some of our players and adopted a very simple and basic approach namely:
- They funneled back over the half way line and conceded the ball in our half. Their wide players sat 5 – 10 yds behind the halfway line with full backs sat a further 10 – 15 yds behind.
- The effects of these tactics were two fold. Firstly it denied space behind their back 4 and nullified the effects of Piennar / Baines and Coleman / Mirallas. It restricted the opportunities to get behind and put crosses into their box from the line forcing us to cross from deeper and more diagonal.
- Secondly it made us play down the middle through the centre of midfield and gave Distin and Heitinga an awful lot of ball at the back.
I genuinely think this was their approach before they saw our team selection, the selection of Neville just shone a massive spotlight on our inadequacies. Wigan knew that to counter this we had to be able to do some or all of the following (plus others):
- Our second forward (Fellaini) had to drop into the space between the middle and the forward line and pick up the ball and create openings – play like a number 10 – not his forte.
- The midfield had to drive forward at pace pulling out their defenders creating space in behind their central defenders- no pace with Osman and Neville
- Move the ball quickly and accurately not allowing them to set up their defensive pattern – not hoof ball but fast interactive passing through central midfield – as above
- Our midfield needed the ability to take people on centrally and disrupt their pattern, making their wide players come in to cover and then expose the flanks – again as above
- Our central defenders had to step forward with the ball in a way that forced their midfield to come out and stop them. – Distin with the ball at his feet is a liability
None of this is rocket science but the challenge for the man paid around £4M per year was to come up with any one of the above, or any of his own alternatives. Whilst I may only have the old prelim coaching badge I know that the basic principle of all coaching is to play in a way that stops the others doing what they want to do but more importantly to play in the way you want to play. If they play in an unexpected way (Wigan), or indeed change their tactics in the game, then we should change ours to counter their approach.
So what did Moyes do?
- Firstly he picked a team that had no pace, guile or energy in the centre of midfield.
- He watched for 25 mins as Neville and Osman picked the ball up easily, pass it square SLOWLY and without threat, whilst Wigan funneled back.
- Then he stood like a frightened rabbit in the headlights between the third goal and half time and did nothing (£4m a year???)
- His great master plan after half time was to put Vic on and hit longer balls hoping for a knock down or a break.
- Then he brought another midfield player on who also lacks pace, doesn’t dribble and drive forward, but is a better passer.
- Finally he put another central midfielder on for 10 mins who does want to drive forward but kinda pointless so late.
So where does this leave Moyes and his tactics?
- After 11 years we have one style of play that if its countered we appear to have no plan B let alone C,D or E
- We do not possess players in the squad who offer alternative options i.e. wide players who can dribble and cross, midfield players with drive and energy, attackers who can play intelligently. I’m not suggesting Messi’s or Mata’s just good premiership players that offer alternatives or youngsters who have the potential to do this.
- Moyes only alternative when we are losing seems to be long balls, do we ever see a change of formation, do we go to 3 – 3 – 4 with 2 wide players?
Once we were 3-0 down there was only one way out of the hole, bold adventurous attacking play. Yes we might have conceded again but I would rather have gone down 5-3 than the whimper of an excuse that we saw in the second half. 11 men defending a corner summed him up – no alternatives, no creativity, no imagination, stubborn and defeatist. When he then says it was ‘one of those days’ and cannot see the flaws in his tactics or his ability to adapt, it is not just arrogance its blind ignorance. I can’s see the wood because of the tree in my eye !!!
So the media darlings may be changing their tune and some are questioning his tactical ability. As many of us have been saying for years he knows how to avoid defeat but does not know how to win. 11 years and no trophies (and never really close), 11 years without a win at the Sky 4, 11 years of the same way of playing and the same tactics.
The saddest thing in all of this, is that Saturdays result put 2 nails in the coffin for me:
- The so called bigger teams will be saying thanks but no thanks and his chances of moving on have now diminished dramatically
- His arrogant refusal to accept any responsibility for either the selection or the tactics means that when he re-signs we have years more of the turgid dross he keeps serving up.
Renewal of my 2 season tickets? Hmmmmmmmm...
Reader Comments (71)
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2 Posted 12/03/2013 at 19:55:19
"We do not possess players in the squad who offer alternative options" ...
is the only part I could really take any issue with. Moyes has proved himself tactically limited - despite having built a semi-decent squad ( yes, not just the favourites he picks regardless of form)
Moyes had Ovideo, Barkeley, Velios and so on, maybe not world beaters, but surely enough variation to change things around - even without knowing for sure what the reserve or academy players are like on the big stage.
My main problem is that he seems to rely exclusively on the 'tried and tested' - even if they have failed - and not take any risks. All credit the guy as his approach has avoided the relegation battles we had for years, and for making us look up instead - very welcome - =, but now is the time to develop as a boss and as a team.
Maybe give youth a chance - even if at times they disappoint - attempt new tactics and for goodness sake think outside the one striker system unless he can get a striker who is suited to it - not something we have had - perhaps forever. (Despite the modern love of the system)
On the change manager front - I have often= thought it a good idea, without complete conviction we would do better.
However, now I am convinced it is time for him and us to try new pastures. They may be greener. However... crystal balls are in short supply here!
3 Posted 12/03/2013 at 20:19:48
4 Posted 12/03/2013 at 20:33:25
5 Posted 12/03/2013 at 20:32:33
6 Posted 12/03/2013 at 20:38:17
7 Posted 12/03/2013 at 20:24:00
Whenever it comes to the crunch he reaches for the comfort blanket of negative , destructive tactics. This is what has served him so well, especially in 2004/2005. The problem has been that as the quality of the team has improved steadily over time, the players strengths have been increasingly at odds with his approach. There were signs at the start of this season that his thinking was changing, e.g. He wasn't spitting feathers at our lack of clean sheets and seemed more focused on developing a more progressive style. However as soon as results dipped, mainly due to a combination of tiredness and some key players out of form, he reverts to type and calls on his 'loyal soldiers' like Neville.
There's no mystery to any of this - he confirms as much in every single interview he ever done.
8 Posted 12/03/2013 at 20:39:18
9 Posted 12/03/2013 at 20:40:35
I don't know if you could see it on the T.V. against Wigan, but watching Mirallas asking should he stay up, and then having to get back in our box when they had a corner was soul destroying.
He is no better than the like of Allardyce, whose record matches Moyes when he was at Bolton - top 8 League finishes, last 16 in Europe, and a cup final.
His record at the end of this season may be 48-0 at you know where, so if any of his supporters can explain how we are supposed to be a top 8 club with THAT record, they understand football much more than I ever will.
No doubt a decent man, but he was incredibly lucky to land in bed with a board who could afford top eight wages, with no remit for any tangible success.
10 Posted 12/03/2013 at 20:53:41
The whole 'lucky to land in bed with a board who could afford top eight wages, with no remit for any tangible success' line repeated over and over is just condescending.
If the board demanded this tangible success, what would that represent? Beyond though the lottery of a cup win.
That by the way the 6 teams above Everton now have won 17 domestic cups in Moyes' time, compared to the 4 won by the 86 other league teams.
I think when you include the word tangible, unfortunately, best of the rest is it.
11 Posted 12/03/2013 at 21:01:08
12 Posted 12/03/2013 at 21:04:46
13 Posted 12/03/2013 at 21:04:49
What about the 6-1 home defeat to Arsenal on the opening day of the season, or the record European drubbings?
14 Posted 12/03/2013 at 21:11:34
We got to a cup final too you know.
The fan survives on his dreams, the board deal with expectations.
15 Posted 12/03/2013 at 21:17:57
16 Posted 12/03/2013 at 21:01:12
I'm amazed that all these clubs pay top dollar for all these qualified charlatans when some of the experts on this site would be available for a fraction of the cost.
However, I suspect the reality is quite different and you do need a bit more nous, experience, leadership, qualifications and a hundred other qualities – apart from simply being able to spout off with the benefit of hindsight.
I mean, how on earth has Moyes ever got to 4th, 5th or 6th in the top league when he is clearly so inept?
I can only assume that he has fluked it for the past 10 years and the likes of Martinez, Allardyce, Lambert, O'Neil, McDermott, Holloway, McCarthy, Hughes, and a whole host of others have simply been consistently unlucky by comparison......
17 Posted 12/03/2013 at 21:33:59
18 Posted 12/03/2013 at 21:39:13
19 Posted 12/03/2013 at 21:40:24
20 Posted 12/03/2013 at 21:46:40
You want CL Ian, so do 6 other teams with more and better players and more money to fix things in January. How do we get there?
22 Posted 12/03/2013 at 21:47:40
Everything else you mention isn't tangible success. It is merely gripes against the manager.
If Moyes landed in bed with a board that demanded tangible success, what would that represent?
Maybe you avoid the answer and deviate because you don't want to say Moyes has pushed this club as far as anyone can.
23 Posted 12/03/2013 at 22:31:44
Not signing until he knew where we finished in the league or cup, to me, was so he knew what cards he held for a pay rise. Now he has no cards left to play.
It's time to call his bluff and tell him sign or go as it is only hurting the team.
24 Posted 12/03/2013 at 21:50:31
That's not to say we shouldn't try. If it was me you have to wheel and deal a lot more. Buying anyone without a resale value has to stop, as it just buggers the club up later. If we are paying 8% on the debt, it's fair to say we need to be selling for at least 35% 4 years later just cover the servicing of interest - Distin, pienaar? The club has to be run as a sensible solvent enterprise, maximising commercial opportunities, paying down debt. Leaving money on the table like Chang, Nike etc is a joke, as is not having a strategy to clear the debt and the £5m P&L hit with it.
Mental toughness is an issue. We lack leaders on the pitch, always have done. The fact we are reliant on a 36 year old with limited skill/mobility speaks volumes. I think we have upped the skill rate, however you can put plenty of comments next to our squad - goes missing, ricket in them, etc. Who can rally the troops? Who can change the course of a game if it's slipping away? Who won't make a ricket if we are under pressure and see a game through? I am not talking of just Distin, I am talking of the tony hibbert derby when he brought gerrard down for a penalty rather than bring him down on half way line. I am talking ian turner shitting himself when 2-0 up against united. Neville firing in own goals. Go through every season for years and you will find tails of woe. Defeats snatched from the jaws of victory.
3-0 down on Saturday after 40 minutes, would any other top 6 club thrown the towel in so quickly?
25 Posted 12/03/2013 at 23:06:48
26 Posted 12/03/2013 at 23:53:30
27 Posted 13/03/2013 at 00:03:18
28 Posted 13/03/2013 at 06:26:33
If,as many on here,say we can't bridge the gap due to the wage and transfer gap why do we have to play frightened football,rigid hold what we have get a goal and defend the edge of our own box style of football?We need a manager who takes a chance,not scared to risk a defeat by going for a win.The difference may just may be we finish a position or two lower but are entertained every week.On the other hand we may just may finish a position or two higher.Hand on heart how many of you are bored with David's style of football over the 11 years?
29 Posted 13/03/2013 at 07:32:51
30 Posted 13/03/2013 at 07:55:53
You don't need to have done countless footy courses to know this system fails, but hey, all us paying customers who paid to witness that shambolic showing (did you)should be quiet, we're welders, office workers and milkmen we no nothing.
31 Posted 13/03/2013 at 08:17:22
32 Posted 13/03/2013 at 08:44:32
33 Posted 13/03/2013 at 08:59:31
If Holloway manages to bring Palace up, wouldn't getting 2 teams promotion into the P.L. constitute an excellent managerial record?
Come on, you know more than us will ever know about football.
34 Posted 13/03/2013 at 09:39:36
35 Posted 13/03/2013 at 10:25:46
36 Posted 13/03/2013 at 10:50:18
37 Posted 13/03/2013 at 11:17:40
38 Posted 13/03/2013 at 11:23:15
39 Posted 13/03/2013 at 12:21:43
£250 extra over 3 years?
That is a big improvement on the £0 Mr Chairman and his board have invested in the club in10 years.
We should spend it wisely though.How about a new lawnmower?
40 Posted 13/03/2013 at 12:26:09
There will be money in our bank to make transfers. That is not the case right now. And those transfers and wages also include potential players from foreign markets.
It will be though interesting to see how chairman spend this money knowing and seeing wages destroy Premiership clubs in the past. If wages go up and transfers to in direct correlation I would be surprised.
41 Posted 13/03/2013 at 12:31:22
One little disagreement though, you say we have never really been close to winning anything. The 2009 FA Cup Final must surely count as close, but I know what you mean!
42 Posted 13/03/2013 at 13:39:34
43 Posted 13/03/2013 at 14:05:03
"I have always given full support to our managers, even Walter Smith, and that took some doing from an Irish Catholic".
What does that mean?
44 Posted 13/03/2013 at 14:13:12
How much it will benefit is down to how well it is spent
45 Posted 13/03/2013 at 14:21:37
Unfortunately, Bill has "ring-fenced" this cash to pay for the repair to the broken step we were shown during the Kirkby debacle, new blue gravel and, of course, safety helmets for those sitting directly under the soon-to-fall-down stands
46 Posted 13/03/2013 at 16:49:44
£250k?
They spent more than that on the famous lawnmowers in the last accounts.
It`s a lot less bovver wiv an `ovver
48 Posted 13/03/2013 at 19:45:20
I just hope and pray its not Moyes who's given the purse strings come June, but a young manager with European experience and a more attacking mindset.
Utterly bored watching the shite dished up regularly and passed off as 'entertainment'.
49 Posted 13/03/2013 at 23:30:52
50 Posted 14/03/2013 at 11:36:32
Hello Jim,
Impressive article and totally correct.
Within in minutes of the kick off I could see Osman was overwhelmed in midfield, he's not a tackler, he's half a flair player who has a good game every so often sitting behind the forwards.
Both Gibson and Hitzeslberger should have been on, Gibson and Hitzeslberger would have given us some bite in midfield and also Hiztlesberger ( a decent ex German international) can carry the ball forward pass or shoot.
I just seemed obvious to me and the people around me. I would rather have had Boy George or Julian Clarey on the sidelines, they would have had more fight and go in them than Moyes. Moyes is everything people are saying about him on here.
I have to say Kenwright is watching this and is desperate for Moyes to stay if the statement to Stan Collymore is to be believed.
It's all doom doom!!! Does anyone have any Prozac?
51 Posted 14/03/2013 at 13:17:08
The fans have realised (except Doddy) that we are stagnating and that a change must be made if we are to progress further. He obviously thinks that he is bigger than the club and that he is using us as a stepping stone. But he isn't. It's time the board and Kenwright gained some courage and sacked Moyes or not offer him a contract in the summer.
About Bill, what did he think of the performance against Wigan? If he is a real Evertonian, he would have sacked Moyes straight after the final whistle or maybe even after that derby capitulation last season at Anfield.
Kenwright and Moyes Out!
53 Posted 14/03/2013 at 14:31:44
"David will decide in his own time, if he decides to stay we will do everthing possible to make it happen!"
Just try to imagine if he stays for another 5 years, that's a potential 16 fucking years with Moyes:
64 attempts at winning away at the sky clubs with no success
32 attempts at winning a domestic cup with no success
Whatever debacles await in Europe? Remember we've only gotten into Europe 4 out of 11 attempts and been dumped out, while Middlesborough and Fulham went all the way to the final.
How is Kenwright getting away with it?
54 Posted 14/03/2013 at 15:27:01
I am sure that if we had any decent players on the bench, our plan B may happen earlier......but we don't
take for example Saturday, Our bench was Gibson, Anichebe, Barkley, Duffy, Naismith, Hitzlberger and Springthorpe. That whole bench cost about £500,000.00. Where is the Plan B in there?
55 Posted 14/03/2013 at 15:58:52
How much did the Wigan bench cost?
56 Posted 14/03/2013 at 16:03:15
Moyes though, only has plan A and refuses to change in any way.
57 Posted 14/03/2013 at 16:06:08
58 Posted 14/03/2013 at 16:10:29
Then thinks to himself "Oh fuck I've got no plan B !!!"
59 Posted 14/03/2013 at 16:22:50
60 Posted 14/03/2013 at 16:45:36
61 Posted 14/03/2013 at 16:51:57
Distin, Howard Jags and Pienaar ,will probably remain fist team members, but what does that leave us with?
Mucha - Hardly a class replacement for Howard
Coleman - still developing,
Stones - potential not proven,
Duffy - Potential not yet proven,
Naismith - Probably not good enough for PL,
Barkley - Potential - not proven,
Jalavic - Out of form for most of this season,
Anichebe - Potential - unfulfilled probably not PL standard.
Gibson - Injury prone
Oviedo - Potential - Not proven
Mirralas - good enough - will he stay injury free and will he want to stay
So whoever the manager is come June there is a major overhaul required and that will cost us money, any ideas of bringing down the debt would be gambling with our PL status.
62 Posted 14/03/2013 at 17:24:29
63 Posted 14/03/2013 at 17:24:16
64 Posted 14/03/2013 at 17:35:05
it wasn't their bench that was the problem -????
65 Posted 14/03/2013 at 17:37:26
If you're trying to say the Wigan bench was just plain better for a much smaller price, I agree.
Also It looked to me, only plan A (didn't work, could get it work) and no plan B.
66 Posted 14/03/2013 at 20:03:43
67 Posted 14/03/2013 at 13:02:52
The thing about this "respect from his peers" shit, is that those managers are making their mind up over two games. That's the only time they ever have to think about Everton. We watch them every week, and understand that setting up not to lose against Chelsea is exactly what he does against Southampton, QPR and Oldham.
68 Posted 14/03/2013 at 20:24:46
Ancelotti isn't exactly covering himself in glory at PSG, is he? He is struggling to a title which in reality should be a doddle, with all the dosh he has spent, and wasn't he the manager of the team which shamefully surrendered the Champions League to Liverpool in 2005?
69 Posted 14/03/2013 at 23:32:45
70 Posted 14/03/2013 at 23:46:15
He has won the Champions League twice and runner-up once (and only lost due to freakish events on the night) as well as winning Serie A and the Italian Cup. he then won the double at Chelsea in his first season and finished 2nd in his second season.
None of this makes his assessment of Moyes true or false, but how can one criticise Moyes for not being good enough then criticise Ancellotti, it's like going 'Osmans crap, so's that Xavi fella'...It makes your opinion worthless
71 Posted 15/03/2013 at 04:41:45
Gibson - should have started
Anichebe - should have started
Barkley - could have started, did well when he came on
Duffy - some think he should be starting
Naismith - can't play, fair play to you
Hitzlberger - could have started
Springthorpe - N/A
Moyes is so oppressed to have starters and actual good players on his bench. Forget the fact that Vellios and Oviedo weren't even on the bench...
72 Posted 15/03/2013 at 04:59:58
That 5 mill loss is a figure from 3 years ago Ian, last year it was 9.5mill loss, this year it will be greater.
73 Posted 15/03/2013 at 06:57:38
Not entirely sure on that one.
74 Posted 15/03/2013 at 13:14:32
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1 Posted 12/03/2013 at 20:00:37
Never have I wanted not to go a game on Saturday and if they get a result It will make me even more angrier, fucking cheats the lot of them.