Moyes counting on 'second wind'

, 26 February, 46comments  |  Jump to most recent

Shrugging off growing concerns about his side's recent form, David Moyes insists that Everton remain in a good position heading into the final three months of the season and is hopeful that progress in the FA Cup this evening can provide the impetus for the Blues to "kick on again."

Though his side's Champions League aspirations took a serious hit at the weekend with defeat at Norwich and victories for rivals Arsenal and Tottenham, the manager is preferring to hold up his team's record over the past 12 months as evidence of their progress.

And he feels as though a victory over Oldham, which would put them within a game of returning to Wembley, can provide a "second wind" for this players.

"The Cup does galvanise the place, it is difficult to explain but it keeps you on the way up,” Moyes is quoted in The Telegraph. “A good run can really lift you, and that is what we are hoping to do. We'll get a second wind I think soon and kick on again.

“These two weeks we are in now are big weeks. We are in a period where we'll see the direction our season is going. We have to try and knock each one off one at a time. We have no excuses."

Aware of increasing scrutiny over his lingering contract uncertainty and Everton's failure to strengthen in the January transfer window, Moyes maintains that the Blues are better off than most clubs at this stage of the campaign.

"You know it would be easy to say the transfer window has had an effect on our performances, just as it would be very easy to say it has got anything to do with my contract... [b]ut it's not had an effect.

"The truth is, from January last season to January just gone we have outperformed most clubs.

“I think there'll be very few teams with a record similar to us, and very few teams who have done as well as us, so hey — the players may be entitled to a wee dip."

That form over the previous calendar year notwithstanding, there has been tangible disappointment among supporters after the result at Carrow Road and with Everton slipping away in the race for fourth place, there is a feeling that the FA Cup is now the best hope for the rest of the season.

“As soon as we get a negative result, people are trying to write off our season," Moyes continues.

“I'd say, look at our situation — how many clubs don't have anything to play for at this stage of the season? We have, we are still in a really good position. We are sixth in the table, we have a replay in the Cup at home to get into the quarter-final.

“If we'd just gone sixth and had this game to get into the quarter-final, we'd be saying, ‘Hey, this is good'. So we have to try and look at it in another fashion.”

 

Reader Comments (46)

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Chris Jones
1 Posted 26/02/2013 at 00:56:41
Second wind? We're playing more like a wet fart at the moment. Perhaps Moysie's going to load the lads up on Guinness and vindaloo before kick-off to put a bit of speed in 'em.
Tony Farrell
2 Posted 26/02/2013 at 00:53:54
It all sounds good, Davey boy... and you're right: we are in a great position [FA Cup-wise]; a home game against a League One side struggling to stay in that said league.

Another home fixture against a team in the Prem also struggling to stay in the Premier League. A semi-final possibly against Blackburn Sounds good. The only team that can stop us is EVERTON!

Come on, Blue Boys... lift us out of this gloom that's hanging over the place; 4th or even 5th spot seems too far ahead of us now, so let's make a mighty effort in the FA Cup! Get behind the team Tuesday night and lift the roof off. I will be up early, watching the game in Oz with my fellow blues in the Sports Bar, Sydney.

Anto Byrne
3 Posted 26/02/2013 at 01:55:30
Here we go... trying to put a positive spin on the remaining games. I want some positive action on the park. I want players up for it and those chomping at the bit to get on given games. I want Osman, Neville and Pienaar rested. I want Jelavic playing a centre forward role, lazy selfish in the middle. Not much to ask is it?
Roman Sidey
4 Posted 26/02/2013 at 02:06:39
If supporters were thinking of showing their disappointment in Moyes at the next home game, I'd suggest every supporter take a packet of straws to wave in the air.
Paul Andrews
5 Posted 26/02/2013 at 07:14:47
David, the trick is to out perform the other teams August to May.
Phil Rodgers
6 Posted 26/02/2013 at 11:05:12
I like that he has a bit of anger though. This team needs to play with a bit more passion. We need a good run of results to jumpstart the season and tonight is a perfect opportunity to do just that.
Barry Rathbone
7 Posted 26/02/2013 at 11:26:55
He misses the point this year will be the same as most of the rest - no silverware and "best of the rest".

"I'll look at it in the summer" ring any bells Davey - shot your bolt lad getting grumpy won't wash - one mis-judgement too many.

Eugene Ruane
8 Posted 26/02/2013 at 11:44:22
Counting on a 'second wind'?

Jesus.

Ok...erm...as long as we're counting on wishful-thinking ethereal ideas, rather than anything realistic, I think I'll count on the mythical winged-creature 'Evertonius the Awesome' (half man, half 60 goal-a-season striker..horse type thing).

Seriously, if he wants to 'count' on something, count on us keeping hold of the ball and not needlessly giving the fucking thing away every five seconds.

Tony J Williams
9 Posted 26/02/2013 at 12:06:21
Fuck me Eugene, I would be happy to hold it for 5 seconds at the moment.
Nick Entwistle
10 Posted 26/02/2013 at 12:16:59
Hah! A lot of you are going to look mighty silly when the Moyesiah turns the season round.

I say season, more like a four game run without a win. Awww boo hoo, people don't like to lose? Awwwwwww, here's a cookie.

He's turned around supposedly poor half seasons before, most seasons in fact. You telling me he can't get us winning again?

Oh ye of zero faith!

Kevin Hudson
11 Posted 26/02/2013 at 12:14:59
Have to agree with Eugene,

Jagielka's aimless 60-yard Scud missiles (or 'Icaru' ploy) will play into Oldham's hands. Keep it on the deck.

Robert Collins
12 Posted 26/02/2013 at 12:25:06
Barry Rathbone @ 808

Barry, we'll be luck to be the "best of the rest" next season, that one will belong to the evil presence across the park. We have a sqaud mainly of OAPs and a few terrified kids given no chance to play.

David, have you any idea what happened to the first wind? And if we do get past Oldham (whick we should do comfortably)and then Wigan who I believe to be up for this in a big way (no real home advantage, that's a 50/50 in my opinion), will your second wind be strong enough to power past one of the big boys who'll be waiting for us. We kind of have an inferiority complex when playing these teams.

Not to worry, if this second wind should go the way of the first, there might be a third that will see us through to 7th, 8th, 9th ......

Phil Bellis
13 Posted 26/02/2013 at 12:29:03
Nick,

How big will the turnaround be? Enough to catch Spurs or enough to avoid being overtaken by Liverpool and West Brom?

James Stewart
15 Posted 26/02/2013 at 13:11:55
Does anyone seriously think we can challenge for 4th!? Complete fantasy. Spurs are so far ahead of us in just about everyway. They have 2 top players for pretty much every position.
Phil Bellis
16 Posted 26/02/2013 at 13:16:33
But James...Nick says we have to have faith
(I presume he's American)
Eugene Ruane
17 Posted 26/02/2013 at 13:14:16
Nick (819) what a fantastic piece of analysis.

"Hah! A lot of you are going to look mighty silly when the Moyesiah turns the season round"

When?

Try IF!

And even IF it happened, why would I look silly - for pointing out HIS team give the ball (therefore results) away far too often and currently look shite?

Your hopeful bluster continues - "I say season, more like a four game run without a win. Awww boo hoo, people don't like to lose? Awwwwwww, here's a cookie"

FOUR game run?

Well maybe...but check our next few fixtures and give me your points total.

My guess, based on present form - fuck all!

(and this is Britain by the way, it's biscuits nor cookies...duuuude)

Your based-on-nothing-but-wishful-thinking tripe continues - "He's turned around supposedly poor half seasons before, most seasons in fact. You telling me he can't get us winning again?"

'Poor half-seasons'?

What the fuck are they...quarter seasons?

Forget the sky-speak, there are just good performances, average performances and shite performances.

You finish with "Oh ye of zero faith!"

Guess what Nick, it's not about faith on a forum, it's about giving INFORMED opinions.

Seriously, look at what you're posting and think about what a forum would look like if everyone ignored what was ACTUALLY happening, ignored results and form, ignored tactics and team selection and simply kept posting 'We WILL do it....we WILL do it...we WILL do it...."

A few months ago I was posting that I was happy with our performances because they were good, now they're shite and I'm posting that I'm not happy - that's kind of how it works.

Robert Collins
19 Posted 26/02/2013 at 13:17:36
James Stewart @ 833

4th?

If they're serious, you can't fault their loyalty.

Although there's a touch of the Fuhrer's bunker about them, believe everything you're told until it's too late!

Sam Hoare
20 Posted 26/02/2013 at 13:24:23
I'm an optimist but I don't see any way we catch Spurs. First of all the gap is too big given the games we have and secondly they are simply better for us man for man both in the first team and resoundingly in the overall squad.

Harold Matthews
22 Posted 26/02/2013 at 12:32:30
Great stuff. Second wind, wet farts, winged creatures and Scud missiles. Thanks boys. Cheered me up no end.

The general message appears to be - Keep the ball and play with passion, two things we have failed to do for quite some time now. Indeed, the only time Fellaini shows passion is when someone kicks him. They are all too nicey nice. We know Moyes comes down heavily on players who are penalised for dissent but it's about time we protested as vehemently as our opponents. Quiet acceptance is not the way of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Man United, Juventus or Bayern Munich so why should we be so different. It just doesn't make sense. The passion is being stifled.

Nick Entwistle
23 Posted 26/02/2013 at 13:30:43
Hissy fits, field tantrums, diving and shouting in the ref's face isn't what we do either Harold. Thank goodness.
Robert Collins
24 Posted 26/02/2013 at 13:27:49
Eugene Ruane @ 836

Well said - Biscuits Not Cookies!!!

It wouldn't suprise me if this Nick Entwistle was really BK on the forums trying to change opinions!!!

He might slip one post - "I'll never sack him!!!!"

The Moyesiah will save us!!!!!!!!!

Phil Bellis
25 Posted 26/02/2013 at 13:27:21
Nick
Quick lesson in vernacular English (as spoken in Britain by all but those wearing baseball caps who spend their lives watching American TV)

"go figure" := "work it out"
"do the math" := perform the arithmetic (maths); apply a suitable algorithm; calculate
In the pub: "can I get a..." := "could /can I have a..."
In response to "how are you?" the answer is "fine, thank you", not "good"

Oh and never in Britain ask a lady holding a baby's bottle if she's scalded the nipple

Nick Entwistle
26 Posted 26/02/2013 at 13:43:31
What are you banging on about?
Kevin Tully
27 Posted 26/02/2013 at 13:47:58
The miserable get nearly smiled yesterday - only to find it was wind after all.

Maybe he's confused!

James Stewart
28 Posted 26/02/2013 at 14:41:47
I will be very surprised if we get into the Europa League at this rate. I discounted 4th a long time ago. Our best players are badly out of form and we have a manager that may not even want to continue. Hardly a recipe for success.
Paul Hardcastle
29 Posted 26/02/2013 at 15:46:24
So, Davey, the players have done well for a year... now they're entitled to "a wee dip"???

What an astounding piece of absolute nonsense. How can anyone respect this man as a manger — least of all of EVERTON Football Club — when he comes out with utter shit like that?

Dave Lynch
30 Posted 26/02/2013 at 15:58:05
Note to Moyes.
The ref played 55 seconds extra over the 4 mins allocated in the WHU v Spurs game last night.
See; They're not picking on you Davey, it's just the way the cookie crumbles.
Andrew Gilbert
31 Posted 26/02/2013 at 16:22:35
Phil Bellis:

I'm not totally sure what you are on about either but 'Do the Math' and 'Go figure' – as far as I know about it – originate the other side of the pond.

Joe Bibb
32 Posted 26/02/2013 at 16:37:58
I think this team could achieve 4th place but the Manager can't.
Harold Matthews
33 Posted 26/02/2013 at 16:33:54
Yes BK...Sorry. Yes Nick. My faith in Moyes and his nicey nice bunch of fairies is at level zero and I do not expect a winning sequence in the Premiership.
Kevin Hudson
34 Posted 26/02/2013 at 16:42:10
Note to Lynch:

If the same thing had occurred during Moyes's very first game in charge, there would have been uniform support of his complaint, and Lee Mason would have copped it instead.

Yet, due ENTIRELY to the MOB mentality, he's been mocked for posing a perfectly reasonable question. Of course every single thing he says gets ripped by an openly-hostile crowd, who skew his position, even when he's justified.

Dave Lynch
35 Posted 26/02/2013 at 17:05:40
Note to Hudson.

He is not justified as it states at every ground " Their will be a MINIMUM of........."
Not." Their will be a definite minutes played.

Kevin Hudson
36 Posted 26/02/2013 at 17:08:05
Fine, but my point was that the flak he copped for moaning would not have happened had that game been his first.

(Or if Suarez had done a 'Hulse,' in the Derby).

James Martin
37 Posted 26/02/2013 at 17:17:11
What do people expect him to say? 'Actually this slump is going to last a while and I'll take any excuse available for it'. He'd be getting lsuaghtered if he said that. As it is, he says the exact opposite, a bit of a clarion cry to try and get us out of this slump... and he gest slaughtered for it.

No-one on here knows what is going to happen this season, football is so unpredictable (apart from any game against Villa will finish a draw). If we get to the end of the season in 8th behind Liverpool without European qualification and we went out to one of Oldham or Wigan in the Cup then fair enough, vent all the fury that you want (everyone seems to do it anyway after the first draw of every season). But what good is being ridiculously negative now going to do for the team? It will achieve nothing.

Let's get behind the boys for the rest of the season and see what happens. It would be great to go tonight and find a great atmosphere that the players could sense before kick off rather than this negative air of expectancy that seems to accompany every home game now until we score 2 goals.

We've had pretty good football for 12 months, but we seem to be in a bit of a slump now; let's try and get the players out of it by sticking together rather than booing then off at half time, booing players before they even come on, moaning at every single missed chance like the miss has just relegated us. I know that eventually this team should be paying us back and that they don't regularly enough but sometimes that is unfortunately the life of a football fan. Some fans spend their entire lives supporting teams destined never to win a single thing.

Steve Edwards
38 Posted 26/02/2013 at 18:12:05
He'll be gone next season and as far as I'm concerned he will be referred to as 'half a season Davey' the guy who spent 11 years at the club and won nowt. Yes, I'm including this season while they are in the FA Cup as well.
Colin Glassar
39 Posted 26/02/2013 at 18:41:43
The big difference between good managers and mediocre managers is that good managers are good over an entire season. Mediocre managers can only do it for 50% or less of the season.
Kevin Hudson
40 Posted 26/02/2013 at 18:47:35
How can he possibly be a "mediocre manager," if he's sixth in the Premier League?

You will not find even a single one of his peers who would share that view, even privately.

And again, no mention of the players' ambivalent form either.

James Martin
42 Posted 26/02/2013 at 19:16:34
'Good managers are good over an entire season' - must only be one of them in the premier league then. Everyone else bar united have had a dip in form at some point. Completely reasonable of us of course to expect that not to happen to Everton though with our minute squad and completely substandard PE teacher like manager who cannot grasp tactics, does not make good substitutons, cannot motivate his players, and ruins all fo them individually through coaching. Surprising that after all this we've got some of the best form over the last 12 months and sit in sixth in the league. Makes you wonder how bad all the other managers are, and to think they get money to spend as well in every transfer window without having to sell, they must all be complete idiots. Either that or we're missing something........
Andy Walker
43 Posted 26/02/2013 at 19:28:30
David Lynch, you are right in that its a 'minimum of time', however the ref should only add more time if he has a reason to justify it eg a goal or a sub. If theres no reason he should only play the min amount.
There was no apparent reason to play more than the min 3 mins against Norwich and Moyes was quite right to ask for justification off the ref.
The ref can not just play as long as they like over the min amount without good reason.
Peter Warren
44 Posted 26/02/2013 at 19:52:18
Andy min of 3 mins means if he felt there was 3 mins 59 seconds he would have to say 3 mins. It was an ignorant remark unlike Moyes. You could criticise ref
for so many things in that game but time added on is not one of them.
Brian Waring
45 Posted 26/02/2013 at 20:29:11
Andy Moyes made a show of himself going onto the pich to have a fucking whinge.
Michael Winstanley
46 Posted 26/02/2013 at 21:58:45
The players aren't performing, he said it himself. It's not his fault, he wants the ball played on the deck and the players aren't doing it. That's fine until you factor in he's the manager and knows when players can no longer keep the ball, he watches the same game as us. And yet he continues to play players who are experiencing a wee dip.
I'm sorry David but you're responsible for the players you put out on the pitch, the substitutions you make, these are your choices which effect how we play the game. If the players aren't performing then drop them, make changes, do something different. Take responsibility for it.
Tony Draper
47 Posted 27/02/2013 at 10:08:56
Let him go.

He has decided that he will wait until the end of the season.
But, his waiting game began just when exactly ?
A year ago?
Two?

Or at the moment he realised that he can sit on his hands because avoiding relegation constitutes success for being the third highest paid premiership manager.

Go.
Get rid now.

Mr Moores would NEVER have tolerated such dithering, and like him or loathe him, Kenwright HAS been EVERTONIANLY loyal to Moyes.

Go.
Go now.

You've been here a very long time, won bugger all and nobody else wants you.

Steavey Buckley
48 Posted 27/02/2013 at 15:01:45
If Everton had a recognised goal scorer, or even better, a second one, and could keep clean sheets, now and again, then a second wind could be plausible. But at the moment, the answer is NO.
Phil Walling
49 Posted 28/02/2013 at 10:32:46
Whilst I`m as bored with Moyes as the rest of us,I do want the season to end on a high.Evertonians who `hope we`ll lose`to hasten his departure sicken me.
So whatever fate has in store for our long-serving manager,I just hope the team do get their second wind and,at last,win us a trophy or European qualification.
The trouble is,though,his players are made in his image-and just like the great man-keep making the same mistakes over and over again.Losing 19 points from winning positions proves this to be the case so often do individual players appear to just switch off.In defence,Howard and Distin,totally competent in their general play,seem to `lose it` at times,whilst in midfield,Gibson and Fellaini both have `dream time`.Up front......well that`s a whole nightmare of its own!
This indication of mental tireness is inexcusable in professionals paid millions a year for no more than about 80 hours real work on the public stage.Just compare that workload and pressure with the stars of tennis and golf....and don`t get me started on training and preparation!
Moyes`reference to `second wind`seems to indicate some physical shortcomings but that can hardly be the reason as devoid of all distractions but FA Cup action,our players are `very lightly raced`.Perhaps his persistent refusal to freshen up the side by giving a run to the likes of Oviedo,Barkley and Vellios has something to do with the evident staleness that has set in but we know he will continue to rely on the silky skills of Neville,Heitinga and Naismith because they are `established players`.
As I said,making the same mistakes over and over seems to be catching.Let`s just hope they get over it before it`s too late; 4-0 win against Reading will do for a start!
Steve Edwards
50 Posted 28/02/2013 at 22:57:09
Dream on Phil, 2-1 is the scoreline that will forever be associated with Moyes. You know when you watch Everton under Moyes that your in for another nail biting performance from the blues. That 2-1 scoreline keeps popping up on an amazingly regular basis. Sometimes we win 2-1 and very often when we get beat its by 2-1. It says everything about Moyes at Everton really.

He gets results by getting his team playing at a very fast pace, grinding down the opposition. If the opposition can match us in doing this then we have got problems. Doing this against lower league opposition causes its own problems. It's hard to get the players up for playing this way against teams that on paper at least are inferior. They relax and try to play at a more leisurely pace and as a result often come unstuck. This way of playing the game can only take you so far as Everton's record under Moyes proves. If he leaves and goes to another club, one that has money to spend, a team that expects to win trophys, then it will be very interesting to see how Moyes gets on. Can he change his ways when his circumstances at another club are different? The money clubs have left him alone up to now and haven't been willing to to take a chance but that maybe about to change.

I have a feeling Arsenal could be his new club. Wenger is under mounting pressure, mainly due to the fact that he hasn't won anything for some time. I think that he may well go at the end of the season. Arsenal can't quite complete with City, Chelsea and Man Utd and are very careful with the money that they generate. They may see Moyes as the man for them, someone who has a record in bringing in bargain buy players. The problem would be getting shut of a manager for loosing his winning ways and replacing him with a manager who spent 11 years at a club and won nothing. Yes, I hear you say but has Moyes had the money to win something? Has Michael Laudrup.


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