Moyes says tiredness is a factor

"Since I've been able to play regularly I feel like I've got sharpness and the confidence. I'm 34, you still need confidence of playing regular games."

Quotes from Frank Lampard which show that the claims of 'TIRED' Everton players on here is just so much nonsense.

Here's the clincher Lampard quote:
"'(But) it seems to me recently I've been able to play every three or four days, I've enjoyed it."

There's your answer — rotate and give fringe players a game and rest players. If Baines and the likes are tired now, then we need to look why that is when you think of teams that are still in the FA Cup, Europe and a longer cup run in the Capital One Cup than Everton.

I’ll never buy into this “tired” nonsense. At this time of the season the fitness is there, so ease up in the fucking training.

It’s a squad game for those teams challenging on 4 fronts, but for fucks sake, one game a week until the end of the season is hardly boot camp.

I think it is a load of bull too but I bet quite of number of our players are playing with niggling injuries because we just can't afford them to have a break. I am amazed Baines has lasted this long, as his hammy and ankle looked done in not so long ago, yet he was still playing. Probably the reason why he was off corner/free kick duty for a while.

In an ideal world we could afford to rest the "burnt out" (yeah right) players. Look at Man U, RVP and Rooney have both spent time on the bench, giving them a little breather.

However, these players are supposed to be top class athletes, so why can't they play one game a week without getting tired?

In respect of Barkley, how are Leeds results going since he's been there? I haven't heard much about him.

We have reached that stage mentally, with Jelavic and Anichebe not just cutting the mustard at the moment. Please don't go on about Vellios - he's not getting the chance because he isn't good enough all round. He's scored 3 goals in 12 games for the U21's - we are devoid of 2 class forwards and until we get them we will still struggle.

If Moyes feels the squad is to small and he has no idea or no part in all these deals falling through then he should tell BK to go fuck himself. You cant have it both ways Moyes. Make a stand or shut the fuck-up whining.

Problem is you always had one eye elsewhere so long term wasn't on the agenda.

See Southampton FC for a proper youth policy, not that Oxlade Chamberlain, Walcott or Bale would have got a sniff here they'd be on loan in yorkshire or in the treatment room broken by running the channels.

Your excuses are wearing thin.

The end of season form in previous years was obviously due to the extra 15 players we had last season, and the season before and the season before that, wont it? Or it could be more bollocks from Moyes about why our players in their prime got out played by a 40-year-old. Obviously too knackered to keep up with him.

Like others have said, play the bloody youngsters for 20-30 minutes, give them experience, and give the 1st teamers a rest.

I agree completely with Barry. Excuses wear very thin. We have a few players with potential, but they never get an opportunity.

There are a number of players off the pace at the moment including Pienaar and Osman. Also as soon as Neville gets the ball any forward momentum is slowed as he is NOT an attacking midfielder, hence the opposition has enough time to re-group as Man Utd did on Sunday.

If Barkley was good enough to play two seasons ago what has gone wrong now, and why loan him out to lower divisions where he will play lower division football. Put him on the bench and give him and Duffy a run out at some time in the game, We need Duffy's height when we haven't got Distin. Heitinga has "gone" as is evident by his performances in the last few games. In fact Jags played in two positions on Sunday covering for Heitinga.

With regards to signings we had all of January, but only make a move for a player in the last four days of the month. That never came off so no chance to look further. This is becoming a habit that will cause us problems later in the season. It's started now...

One or even two games a week should not be beyond professional footballers these day – other teams have small squads but we don't hear them moaning about fixture congestion.

Barkley came on in the last minute for Leeds at the weekend, so he might just as well havebeen on our bench as theirs.

What a load of utter shite from Moyes to dare to complain when he has had the chance to use his WHOLE squad, but has chosen to fucking deny it is there for him to use.

Yes, look at Southampton, are we to swallow that they have better youth players then us??? The big difference is that Moyes refuses to try playing ANY youngsters, and it does not matter if they are brought here or from the academy.

How on earth is Junior not in the first team by now? What about George Green who came from Bradford, biggest talent in a long time?

I will always detest Moyes for turning his back on his job, the job of developing Everton youth players for our first team.

Moyes is found out, he is not good with youngsters; maybe during his first years here, but not anymore.

What Everton really needs is a manager like Adkins who is not afraid to test his best youth players.

Barkley — Surely has potential but didn't even make Leeds starting XI this weekend, yet he's supposed to be in ours?

Vellios — Really not sure about him. Has a pretty woeful goal return in the U21s this season.

Duffy — Didn't set the world alight in League 2 and has looked slow and error-strewn for the leaky reserve team.

I'm all for giving youth a chance but they have to earn it and look like they are going to add to the team.

He's covering his arse. Shameful.

I don't ever remember Anichebe tearing up reserve defences so how did get his 100 chances in the first team?

Is this the same Duffy who was motm in 2 of the 3 games he started last year?

Just how bad do first team players have to be before its no longer about if the youngsters are ready or not and becomes this player no longer deserves his place and should be replaced.

Blame the board and stop using the manager as a punch bag covering their failure to run the club properly. Every business must have a budget for providing assets and our assets are the players. This board do not provide a budget!!

Even today, we are still loaning players OUT but none IN and, to my mind, it's a wage-saving that's going on and is not done for the reasons given. The loan window is OPEN so why are we not acting?

When and if DM goes we will suffer as only a 'giz a job' manager would bother coming to a club without ambition.

Sam hits the nail on the head, our reserves are not good and the only senior players we have on the bench are ones no-one else wants. Who else was in for Hahnemann, McFadden, Drenthe, Hitzlsperger etc? Who wanted Heitinga, Bily or Beckford ?

If Barkley was any good, one of the big clubs would have shown interest. Just face facts: our squad is too small and lacks top quality cover. That has been obvious to me and so many others long before the January window opened.

The fault lies with the BOARD! Blame them!!!

Clearly out of form players should be dropped, but only if you think their replacement will perform better not just for the sake of it. The fact that Heitinga still played instead of Duffy indicates that he clearly is doing enough to gain their trust. The sad truth is that he may just not be very good.

Hear hear! Two voices of reason!

Disingenuous excuse.

Come on Moyes, just say the truth, the team played shite and you didn't know what to do to change it. At least just admit we were shite on the day.

Tiredness, my arse – these are supposed to be professional athletes, ffs.

When we have an international break the moan is about loosing sharpness because there's no game. Then we play – god forbid – a game on two consecutive weekends and we're now too friggin' tired!!!

Add to that – as has been mentioned umpteen times on this site – if the players really are a bit 'tired' then play the youth a bit more! Give the senior pros a break when we are 4 - 0 up against bloody Cheltenham!

Rant over.

1/ We loan out easily and quickly

2/ We always leave transfers in until the last few days

3/ We seem to be able to transfer players out without too many problems

4/ Even since january we have loaned out THREE players

5/ The loan window is still open

All the above speaks volumes to me and if the fans who are castigating DM don't see what I see then they must have worse eyesight than me and Im one of the older fans.

Champions League, my arse!

"Would Moyes change his spots if the board had money"

I think he has proven that he would. Gibson, Mirallis, Jelavic, all 3 quality players bought in the last year have gone straight in the side. Each time he has been able to buy quality he had put them in the side.

But I agree with the others too, its quite weird complaining of tiredness when they only have one game a week. I guess the games take their toll.

And although I do think people calling Barkley, Duffy, Stones etc is utter nonsense, it is weird that Oviedo isn't playing. He's looked really promising every time he's come on. And he's had a plenty of international experience and played a couple of full seasons in Denmark. He needs to be playing more.

But does that excuse actually hold water?

The facts are that:
- We have a first team squad of 24 players
- That we have played a total of 30 games since we beat Man U. in the first game of the season in August 2012 (26 Premier League, 2 Carling Cup and 2 FA Cup games (and we won’t be playing any more FA Cup games if we turn up at Oldham and perform like we did against Man U.)
- This averages one game every six days to-date
- Phil Jagielka, Leighton Baines and Leon Osman have made the most appearances with 29 games.

Now this doesn’t seem too excessive to me, particularly given the effort and time that goes into the intervening training sessions! I’ve seen them and a lot of emphasis is put on going over tactics and ball work, rather than tough physical training. That’s done pre-season.

A game every 6 days might be a monumental effort for a player from the 1960s/1970s, based on their levels of fitness, diet, alchololic intake cigarette smoking and overall physical preparedness.

But for a player brought up in today's environment? I don’t think so with their level of physical preparation, diet, medical attention and overall fitness!

No this smacks of excuses as usual. Blame someone or something else.

The management and the players are paid handsomely to turn up and deliver. Our boys are looking like they are letting us down. I wish my management was as understanding as David Moyes.

I support Everton and I want them to win every game but I am a realist and know that is not possible. However, when I see them not even TRYING, I get angry — and that's what tactically inept Dour Davey's teams leave me feeling far too often.

Although both Gibson & Mirallas have missed too many games through injury and currently Jelavic can't find the net.

Any idea why Oviedo can't get a game?

Having said that, it's not in the David Moyes book of coaching. Predictable one-dimensional football that SAF had no trouble dealing with. As ever, there is no Plan B, it's no wonder we get so frustrated with the man. 3 defeats to the RedShite last season is still hanging around like a smelly fart.

There is no doubt we have a half-decent squad of players, a world class striker playing on the wing, a world class midfielder who can score goals is not a centre forward and is not Tim Cahill in his prime. Two top class centre-backs and the best left-back in the country. On his day Howard is a top stopper but has limitations and in recent times looks like at the ripe old age of 34 father time has caught up with him.

We have missed the stability of Tony Hibbert who at 31 was playing some nice football. I can see the potential with Mirallas, his final ball has to improve a lot; having said that, he has missed a lot of football along with Gibson. These two players remaining fit and finding form will be paramount to where we end up this season.

I'm sure we can take points off Arsenal, Spurs and the RS if Moyes can motivate his players on the day. The Man Utd game was a chance for Moyes to treat this game as a Euro Cup game against a very strong Man Utd side. We didn't turn up and we didn't have a clue how to play them even with an old-age pensioner in the team. Can anyone see him as the Number One at Man City or Chelsea?

At 2 - 0 up with 8 men behind the ball, United were determined not to let things slip in the manner of last seasons 4 - 4 draw. In that match, we went on the attack with verve and tenacity right up to the final whistle. At times we were wide open but showed no fear. How different we were on Sunday when fear ruled the roost? Not helped, of course, by the huge blow of losing Distin in the warm-up and the safety first (okay, okay) selection of Heitinga.

The selection of Neville followed by the Heitinga replacing Distin thing was not a good start. During the match, even when we were on top for 20 minutes, we just didn't seem up for it. No fighting, no arguing, no red-faced screaming at the officials. It was all too quiet and peaceful, Mr Moyes included.

When we came back to draw and almost win against Villa, Moyes threw 6 attackers on the pitch and hit them with the kitchen sink. We went at them like raving madmen and it paid off. Oviedo also played a big part. Villa had faster men up front than United but it didn't bother us. (I just remembered: we had Distin and his pace.)

I've moaned enough. I won't go on about Heitinga being Usain Bolt when compared to Gibson but if the Irishman does not get fitter and faster soon I don't even want him on the bench. Our back four has no protection whatsoever.

The players need a kick up the arse, not a arm around the shoulder to agree with them when they are tired. It's his job to drive them through the times they are tired. It's all in the head and Moyes's attitude stinks. Are they tired when they are winning?

If your heart's not in it, Moyes, then tell Bill you're not signing a new contract so we can find someone who is hungry for success and has not given up.

It's time to leave the party, Moyes, but I suspect you'll be hanging around until 6am when everyone else has fucked off.

What I can’t understand is this tiredness excuse that has been trotted out by Moyes. We have only played 4 cup games and not been in Europe, so where is this tiredness coming from?

The statistics also don’t back it up. Pienaar & Osman were mentioned in this regard and they have made 29 & 30 starts respectively, which doesn’t sound a lot. Someone like Lampard who has been dropped/rested has still made 29 starts & also another 8 appearances coming on as a substitute, whereas Pienaar & Osman have a total of 1 substitute appearance between them. Looking at the number of games started by some of the better-known footballers, we have: Van Persie 36, Bale 36, Gerard 41, Saurez 44...

Now many of us may dislike Saurez but we know he’s a decent footballer who produces the business most weeks and he’s played about 50% more games than our two 'tired' midfielders.

I suspect that if we do qualify for the Europa League this year (we can forget the Champions League – too many hard away games), then every poor performance will be accompanied by the excuse of being too tired... In this case, it would be impossible to argue against even though it wouldn’t be true for every mediocre performance.

I do have some sympathy for players like Baines, who is carrying an injury but is too important for us to rest, but for the others the tiredness excuse just doesn't wash.

[Stats from http://espnfc.com/players?league=ENG.1&id=368&season=2012&league=ENG.1&leagueId=23&cc=5739]

Christine, once more I have to disagree with your comments.

It is not the manager who is lacking ambition... it's this indolent Board of directors.

We continually loan players OUT and bring NONE in .

We are late in moving for players when it's apparent they are needed.

Newcastle signed FIVE, we signed NONE

The board are the ones who deal with transfers so put the blame where it belongs and stop punishing the 'monkey'. DM showed plenty of ambition up until he was let down by this lying board.

If the media only had us to report on, the sports pages would be BLANK!

Two reason why:

1. BK and the board have not brought enough new players in.

2. Moyes has not been brave enough to rotate his regulars, probably because he does not feel he can without putting results at risk.

Playing squad players who aren't good enough.

Not enough transfer activity – you could add a keeper, centre back, centre midfielder and striker for an outlay of around £30m and it would walk into our first XI pretty much. What does that tell you about the quality of our first choice players?

Youth policy adding next to fresh air

Over reliance on first XI. Compared to top 5 where you can make a decent side from 16-20 players.

Lack of midfield passing, vision, pace, power and goals

Lack of genuine pace up top

Unable to clear defence leading to poor goals conceded/never look like keeping a clean sheet

This is all the respect you have for a manager who has pretty much single handedly kept us (a) in the hardest most competitive league in the world and (b) amazed most commentators and many Evertonians by going farther than mere survival and producing many top seven and better finishes. This despite the fact that even ordinary much smaller clubs have absurd amounts of money to spend and a few have resources beyond belief, enough to over power pretty much any other club in any season. I cannot say I'm his biggest fan but I acknowledge the simple fact that Moyes has done a great job for us over ten years starved of the resources he and we deserved.

BUT......he is far from perfect. Last season his depressive demeanour made a very bad start worse, and his approach was negative and withdrawn and it showed on the pitch. Then in January he turned it round with hardly any money spent. Today he is showing signs of slipping back into that depressed mood and frankly if he read these postings he shouldn't be too surprised at the anger.

The Board have let him down in the January window, whatever the rights and wrongs of those last few days, we failed to deliver an absolutely crucial boost to the squad at a critical time. It didn't need to be multi millions spent but it simply had to be better than a very promising young right back.

To me, the team did look tired at OT and devoid of ideas and even more seriously, spirit. Key players looked jaded. But the excuse of tiredness or feeling jaded etc is nonsense as many here suggest. Truth is we have been running out of steam for weeks now, yet still carved out some results. This last weekend the wheels really came off with every result hurting us, but it's not a lost cause and the fans as usual have a big part to play, starting at Oldham.

Moyes needs to match our determination and arse kicking total support for the team. He needs to take some risks with a couple or three younger / squad players. He needs to give Oviedo and Duffy a chance. Why not give Kennedy some opportunities from the bench? And I suspect John Stones could be worth a gamble if Hibbo and Coleman remain unfit. Some big name players like JH and the skipper and yes, Osman, need time out.

The season hangs in the balance, every game is a cup final and if the players, and yes the manager, treat things this way we have a chance at fourth. But it's a huge ask... let's hope he plays that Man Utd WEMBLEY video of the pen shoot out and those incredible fans before every game.... show everyone how much we care and how much they owe us.

Its crap; we know it, the players know it and he knows it.

The board and senior management of this club are incompetent, their approach to the transfer window has left Moyes with nothing. Trimming down the squad keeps happening, refusal to try something different means youth goes elsewhere... can we name one player Moyes has brought through the youth system that has made it? Just one will do... in ten years?????

Moyes is at best a good manager to keep a club in survival mode but has a habit of killing any hopes you have of winning anything through poor selections and an unwillingness to change.

He has stabilised the club, improved our performance, got the best out of what he could buy in, but he has lacked faith in youth, erred on the side of caution until we go behind, risk averse and just doesn't know how to get the best out of ANY striker...

But what's the point in all this? BK is not selling; he wants an investor, but he doesn't want to sell his shares, there isn't anything else Bill. So if you're not selling up, who is?

Pack of Wallies.

My current job, I get up at 5am, on the road by 6, work long and hard in dusty, muddy, hot/freezing conditions and am lucky to be home by 6 at night for less than these pricks make a week, and this twat has the gall to say his favourites are tired?!

Most of them deserved dropping at least a dozen times in the last two years, with many of them having a more than capable understudy rotting on the bench.

Football is supposed to be fun, and Moyes and his boys have the dream job of all of us. Somehow though, he always seems to manage to make it seem like a thankless task that they are obliged to do.

I honestly think there should be laws against professional sportsmen complaining about tiredness and fatigue.

It would be like me rocking up at my old job teaching saying, "Hey, I really like teaching history but I'd be better at the job if these kids weren't here."