Missed chances irk Moyes

How can we create so many chances and prevent so few chances for the opposition and still struggle or lose? I don't know if its poor defending or poor finishing,perhaps its both. I think there are too many players that flatter to deceive like Osmen and even Pienaar. They look like they are doing the right things but their shooting power and accuracy or final ball just isn't good enough.

I would like to back Steven Naysmith though, he doesnt look as good as Pienaar and Osmen but he is putting the ball in the net and lets not forget the likes of Arteta, Pienaar and Fellaini took some time to settle in so lets give him a few months and run in the team before we judge.

Do you want to swap with our season's start last year?

Mark - Moyes says the same thing because it's been the same story - dominant in possession, loads of chances, can't find the net. Look up the stats for the games this season.

We have to play Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City and Spurs twice as well as still having to go to Old Trafford, St James's and worst of all Anfield. We might be 5th now but since the opening game our fixtures have been about as easy as you could hope for.

And I disagree about us not having played well for weeks Mark. We were outstanding against Fulham, and still had more of the game against Sunderland, and seemingly against Reading.

Since when have the 'bigger sides' been a problem? We raise our game like no other team. Does anyone honestly fear Spurs/City/Arsenal? I'd back us getting results against the big boys...it's away against Norwich etc where we find ourselves coming unstuck.

'Since when have the bigger sides been a problem?'

When was the last time we won at Old Trafford, Anfield, Stamford Bridge, Emirates?

Plus more often that not they beat us at home as well.

He said he would be happy with top 6-8 and then declared that would be bad news for me as Everton would definately finish below them.

How do you come to that conclusion? I enquired and he replied that Everton had never in his lifetime managed to get the better of his team in 2 consecutive
seasons.

So being slightly annoyed I laughed and went home to think about it. Indeed he is correct the last occasion Everton ended up finishing above the other lot twice in row was in 1935-36 and 1936-37.

Now of course during the mid 1950s we were in the top flight whilst they spent 8 seasons in the 2nd division so you could argue that 1961-62 was the last time it happened.

From our formation to current day we have finished above the other lot a grand total of 26 times whilst playing in the same division.
Our best run while they were both in the same division was nearly a 100 years ago when we managed to finish above them in 5 consecutive seasons 1910-11 to 1914-15.

From To Everton Liverpool
1893-94 1961-62 19 +(11) 24 +(4)
1962-63 1971-72 3 7
1972-73 1981-82 - 10
1982-83 1991-92 2 8
1992-93 2001-02 - 10
2002-03 2011-12 2 8
Totals 26 67

figures in brackets means number of seasons the other team was in a lower division.

David Moyes has the opportunity to do something only Harry Catterick has done by being Manager of Everton and finishing above the other lot on more than 2
occasions. He can also become the first Everton Manager to achieve a higher finish in consecutive seasons.

So come on Everton if you can't manage to qualify for the Champions League please give us the consolation of bringing to an end this horrible statistic and shut my mate up!

What on earth is going though that boys mind today? How can you first let that player get inside of him and secondly drop a shoulder into that fools back?? That's a foul in American football as well just for measure

Neville wasn't playing today, but I knew somehow he'd get some blame.

What you can control is how you set up to defend set peices, or in our case not defend them.

We still have everybody back, although we do have people on the edge of the box we have no one on the halfway line to stop it coming right back at you if we DO happen to defend it... but we don't.

Some one tell me we haven't gone Zonal and it is just pisspoor marking

We had 8 including Mr Rooted to the spot Howard Vs 6 of them and nobody on the near post

The 8 included a late arriving Jelly, who I think, just got in the way...in the way of our players.

and what happened with 7 marking 6 they got a free header....right inside the near post

It would be an insult to all schoolboy and sunday league players everywhere to label such defending thus.

It makes the word shambles seem like praise

4th..my arse

We need another option from the bench who can score chances and has a pedigree more than £250k. The burden needs to be taken off the front 2, who can put pressure on if performances are not up to scratch.

Getting Mirallas, Hibbert, and Gibson back is of course going to make a difference, and it can't come soon enough. I just wish we could get the funds for a centre mid and striker, even if just on loan.

Having a half-decent side is more frustrating than having a crap one...

Every day after and up till matchdays, the players keep tweeting (gawd what an ultimate prat-time that is) and making a constant stream of "What we're going to do's and how were gonna do it's" in the media... again every bloody day of the week if you pick up on the 'Newsnow' threads like most of us on here probably do... ie, "We're gonna score 10 goals"... "We're gonna twat these and those" etc etc — every day!

Well why the fuckin' 'ell is Moyes lettin' this go on???

When those who know will tell you that...
YOU DON'T SAY WHAT YOUR GONNA DO...
YOU JUST FUCKIN' DO IT.

what is the different dimension Coleman offers ?

We need to get to the end of December within touching distance of fourth spot. We need to get in a couple of players on loan in January. Both of these are not unrealistic ambitions, and if we manage it, there is no reason why we can't challenge for fourth. We do need more numbers...but we also, in terms of recent history, play well in the second half of the season. We don't have the Europa league commitments of Spurs, or the Champions League commitments of Arsenal, and we do, imo, have more spirit and confidence than both teams at the moment. We've lost 2 in 21 league games? That record is Champions League form. I fear for our upcoming run...but we have beaten the likes of United, Chelski and City in recent months, and we can do it again.

And...with respect to Jelavic, I think we just need to take a step back...he is being roundly criticized, described as out of form, terrible etc..but he has still managed 5 in 11 league appearances. If he is out of form, and still scoring at that rate...then it illustrates his ability. Strikers go through dry periods...The other January prodigy, Cisse, has managed only 1 in 10 league games this season.

The side needs a defensive man in the mould of Deschampe, Makele, Viera, Keane, Essien or Reid. Good sides have them. Put Hibbert and Gibson in and it will make a difference. Coleman is exposed because of his own game, but also that the side is overly attacking bias which stems by people in front of him in centre and right mid, plus the back 4 unit/keeper. It will never happen, but the side would play better in a 3-5-2 as I have argued before.

Yet more points thrown away. A stupid,costly defeat.

Coleman, Heitinga, Jagielka, Distin, Baines...

What's that dimension then??? He can't tackle to save his life. He has absolutely no positional sense. Can't pass to a team mate... and, when he goes off on a run, the ball is never under control as he does his best headless-chicken impersonation.

Hibbert is twice the defender Coleman will ever be. The sooner he's back in the side and Coleman back on the bench the better.

Some of our final balls of late (and particularly on Saturday) have been woeful.

Good movement, good passing, intelligent play and then.....fuuuuuuckinELL!

We (they) really need to work on calming things down and thinking before that ball is played.

Too often, we'll play the ball despite there being nothing on, hoping a run has been made or guessing one will be.

If you watch Barcelona (a team known for their possession) they don't play that final ball unless there's a REALLY high chance there is a man to receive it.

And if there isn't, they just keep possession and keep probing until there is.

Disappointed with Pienaar recently - his concentration doesn't seem what it was earlier in the season and end of last season.

I know everyone is disappointed with the result, and we do seem to have a problem in keeping clean sheets. But keep playing this way and we will start to convert more of these chances. Also we are where we are in the league without being able to field our strongest team in the majority of games played.

Also with the next 2 games being at home this is a good chance to cement our place in the league, although nothing is easy no matter who you play in the Prem.