Osman screamer inspires 10-man stand

Fantastic performance, one that some of us have known we were capable of, the standard to which we should have been playing since Christmas. Why we have to listen week-in, week-out to all the fucking excuses for poor play really gets on my tits.

There is no excuse for not putting in more performances like this. I'm not saying win every game: it's about the performances. Losing against Wigan was and remains totally inexcusable, and all the twaddle posted here about lack of money, poor squad size, poor players, tired players... all complete bollocks.

I am sorry I didn't go now, but that has gone some way to restoring my faith in this club. It's great to see the players & manager were hurting as much as we all have been. Fucking get in lads - superb.

Once again, Coleman was on top form, both defensively and going forward. Mucha was inspired for most of the game and Big Vic put in a terrific shift throughout. Delighted to see Jelly score such a vital goal. It was this time last year he went on his great goalscoring run so let's hope he's due another one.

Just baffles me why we couldn't have some of that passion and ability in the cup last week.

Just how bad was the ref? It sounds as though he was distinctly card happy and pretty much one way.

I feel MUCHA better pint or two anyone. YESSSSSSSSSS!!

Peanuts was unlucky. Reminded me of Nani's red card as well. Got lucky with the pen, but had yet another good goal chalked off. Deserved that 3 points. 5th is still ours to loose.

Just a quick shout out to the fans, cause normally on TV you can only hear the away end for some reason, but even Gary Neville said himself "You'll struggle to find a better atmosphere all season"... Think that's what we need to do more often, love that level of atmosphere from Goodison.

He cost £60,000 from some nonentity club in Ireland (this is meant as praise, not disparagement of the Irish club, by the way!), and he can shine on a pitch with the most expensive squad in the world.

I have always loved his couldn't-care-less old fashioned winger style and directness, it's good to see a bit of brave and direct play.

Well done everyone!

Peanuts sending off was plain daft, but he put in plenty of effort before then.

Pleased for Jelly, that rounded off a marvellous day.

Wanker did let us off a peno mind.

Let's hope Jelavic can go on a run, we have nothing to lose by going all out attack for the rest of the season. We threw men forward today, and the champions could not live with us.

But the only thing that will appease me for the rest of the season is battering the shite on their own midden.

To be fair Steve Pugh, the commentators I was hearing were talking about all that stuff. The "penalty" at Etihad, Mirallas' goal at the start and the penalty they should have had. As the week goes on I'm sure it will merge towards Probert ruining the title run in.

Incidently I did say before the game that I fancy EFC against City, Chelsea, Arsenal and even Man Utd as none of them have battering ram type strikers.
I reckon thats why we struggle against so called lesser sides...

A big thank you to all those putting the pressure on and finally getting some fire back in the club; as MK correctly says it kills all the excuses.

Imagine the prospects if we get someone adept at motivation next year?

Special mention for Vic, Seamus and Jela - terrific.

Coleman is fast becoming a very important player, and his marauding style from right back will give opponents a headache, and have the spin-off effect of freeing up more space for Baines on the left. Coleman has now has greater understanding of his defensive duties, is less inclined to jump in rashly and give away free kicks and penalties, and also doesn't ball watch as much.

Gibson too was magnificent today. His quick pressing of the ball is key, and has the effect of forcing a poor rushed pass, or slowing down the opposition attacks.

I was also pleasantly surprised with the speed of Mucha off his line, but would prefer him to catch crosses, rather than flap and punch.

Finally, a great shift by Anichebe, but should this be the least we should expect from our lone striker ?

p.s. Did Ossie's divot hit the back of the net before the ball ????

Ecstacy edges it

As for Richard Nostradoddymus...what do you fancy for the National, old chap?

Kenwright: Get your wallet out.

Jelavic - a goal! Mucha - cult hero.

(Lost my voice there today).

Have booked an appointment with Relate for all of us and the squad for 9am Monday to see just why they have to put us through this shit! Off to Crosby to go see my aunty Stella ;) have a good night lads.

Does seem we have a team that can not mentally cope with being favorites in a match and need to have the pressure taken off them in order to perform. That still worries me as we will never get over the line when it really matters if that's the issue.

Coleman was absolutely brilliant today, one of the best performances of a right back I have seen. Heitinga performed better but then he was defending against a team that tries to play football in attack rather than just lumping it forward.

Also good to see Jelavic get a bit of luck and a goal, maybe that will spur him on.

So, well done, Moysey for keeping faith in players who hardly deserved it.

Well done to ALL the lads who ran their bollocks off — particularly Victor and Seamus who had his best game ever and set a high bar for future games.

Well done to Ossie who showed he has more than a powder puff shot and skippered the side so well we didn`t miss Captain Pip one iota!!!!!

Well done Mucha whose distribution is really in another league to Howard`s and brings new power to his punch. Three absolutely brilliant stops,at least.

And finally (chokes as he types!) to Doddy whose inspired post on the night shift called it absolutely right. Hope you had a few quid on the match, old son!

The team, the crowd, the manager all brilliant today.

Referee was the only one to let the side down.

What joy to see Mancini arguing with Platt. £600 million played off the park.

Today's not a time for any negatives, not after the pain of last week. So, in that spirit, I guess if Moyes was responsible for last week's dire trash, he takes the plaudits this week (as somebody on here said, he coaches them, and sets out tactics, and decides subs).

On the point of subs, I screamed why when he brought on Naise - but I await the reason - maybe Mirallas was stuffed.

Coleman - mega. Anichebe - great effort. Ossie - really good game and what a f.. goal, as was Jelli's. All played well, individually and collectively. Passion, pride, 100% effort.

Great game, glad to be there.

So there's no apologies from me or anyone who was harsh on them last week needed - but fair do's to one and all who ran and tried their bollocks off today.

That's what EFC expects and deserves EVERY game. Do that and we will all be satisfied. Well done blues, got your pride back.
COYB !!!

Hardly a surprise if you look at it from a mathematical perspective.

37 ± Pi2 ^ 5878.78.98 + X 8788232.76 x Y2

= Liverpool's defence is fucking cack.

I was at the game last week and what a contrast in emotions to this week; I had to watch this game 4000 miles away so sick to miss such a great game today – fans were superb and almost in tears when Jali scored the 2nd – I'm an emotional fkn wreck after last week.

Couple of points: probably one of the worse refereeing and linesman performances I've ever seen today; how the fuck was Mirallas offside?

Just caught the end of the Shite's score and great to see that shower of wankers getting beat 3.1 by a very good Southampton side – taxi for Brenda, soft twat!

Moyes in.

BR + LFC = 0 (SUCCESS) + LMFTO / SILVER SHOVEL

We will do very well to come 5th although you would hope we will raise our game again in the 6 pointers at Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea. I have left off the trip to Anfield as that's a ten pointer in many people's eyes! Any way you look at it, it's a very tough set of away fixtures we have along with what appear to be relatively straightforward home ones. Will nee another 18 points to have a realistic chance of 5th.

We've got Spurs, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea all to play but all away from home. Chelsea have got Spurs, Liverpool, Man Utd and us which will be tough.

I think Arsenal are hitting form now, Spurs are probably due a blip, Liverpool will continue to be inconsistent and I think Chelsea could really crack under the hideous attitude of their support.

So, it won't happen but if we win those four fixtures we could be looking at top 4..... what a difference 90 minutes makes..... :)

For a game that 'nobody cared about' is was absolutely brilliant. The crowd were the best I've heard since the opening day of the season. Probert was fucking awful. How Milner didn't get a booking is beyond me.

Was Pienaar's a bad one then? I didn't see too much wrong, but BBC live text said it could have been a straight red.

Mucha, Coleman, Gibson and Anichebe were different class. Got to give Heitinga a mention too...that was the form he showed last season.

I'd love to be entirely positive, but I have to slag off Moyes for swapping Mirralas with Naismith. Mirallas was the only one who looked like giving us an out ball to relieve the pressure and Moyes hauls him off for that little shit. Once again we invited even more pressure on ourselves.

Weirdly, Naismith's best attribute is his heading. He has one of the best leaps I think I've ever seen. Maybe he should enter the high jump, because he is fucking awful at football.

Anyway, that was a brilliant game and capped beautifully by Jelly at the end. The crowd were going mental for him and you could see what it meant to the lad.

Distin hoisting up Mucha at the end and JH doing a lap to thank the fans. That was a proper performance and the right way to apologise for last weeks horror show.

COYB

Anyone see that Bent lad at the beginning? Haha! He looked genuinely disgusted that he'd been asked to leave the pitch.

Can we finally put to bed those Osman can't shoot moans, they're tired and more importantly complete garbage.

Not having that mate. Ossie's shot could have gone anywhere. He caught it beautifully but he would have missed it 99 times out of 100. A great shot - but he is still not good enough from outside the box.

Unfortunately, I wouldn't be surprised to see Neville in for Fellaini and Mirallas switch to the left to accommodate Naismith.

:-/

What we should be asking is why he doesn't do that more often instead of trying to pass the ball into the net.

Osman's shooting is, on the whole, terrible, yet we have seen on a couple of occasions he is capable of smacking it just right, like today. On his left foot no less. But it was a fluke, as glorious as it was to watch.

Years ago I watched us from the home end at Arsenal. 1-0 down to an obligatory Ian Wright goal, Dave Watson equalised. Nothing unusual, he scored a few and got into double figures a couple of times. Except this one was a volley. From about 30 yards. On his left peg. Of course he meant it, but as Phil above says, 99 times out of 100 it would've hit us in the upper North Bank.

The red filth will have been expecting to be 3 points ahead of us tonight but what a difference a week makes. Hopefully we can stuff them at their place in a few weeks and stuff Brenda's "philiosophy" right up his -

A really enjoyable day - spoilt only by the fact that I can't get the Radio Merseyside after-match moan-in to listen to the shite whining. Bloody rugby's on. Bastards. What next - live table tennis? This country's going to the dogs.

As has been said, last week is neither forgiven nor forgotten, but this is basically, 100%, the best way to begin making amends.

Pity about the the red card but it was deserved, yet another good goal disallowed but cancelled out by the penalty they should have had. Felli still won't get it and let us down again, but what the hell — great day all round.

So, flash back six months as I and others trumpeted Coleman and a flock of seagulls came on here to say WTF ..... His best ever game for the blues today going forward and defending. That header was immense but if it had gone in it would have been one of the best OGs ever, up there with the Henry Newton header.

Well done Moyes and the boys today and nice to see some passion and smiles from the gaffer. And we need sideways samways Skip Pip for what exactly?

On a flat note, we need younger players like I need red wine.

I like him though, skilful if a little lightweight.

Oh, come on, Matt, have a bit of grace. Ossie's shooting is generally shit street but to say that one was a fluke? On what basis can you say that? You don't what his intention was. Why not just accept it looked great and leave it at that?

On Ossie, you have to say, he took a shot, his objective was to score a goal, and he scored. Well done, and remember that one for a long time. Not his biggest fan, but no one can take away what he did today. Just like Bily getting goal of the season how many times? Not a wonderful player for us, but undeniably some great goals.

I for one never thought I would get off my seat to applaud Anichebe leaving the pitch but since he has curtailed his posturing he is beginning to show actual potential. One name missing from the accolades is Distin. I think the man is immense and is a total credit to himself and the game and today I just thought he was awesome. Many people obviously appreced his gestures to the crowd at the end especially at the Street end.

One negative note however and that is the presence of Naismith on the bench let alone on the pitch. I have said it before, this is not personal as he does not select himself. When he came onto the pitch my heart literally sank as it now meant effectively that it was 9 v 11. I do not know where the two earlier positive comments come from. Maybe Mirallas was not balancing the defensive duties on his side of the pitch as he should – I do not know, but Naismith is without doubt one of the most limited, totally ineffective footballers I have witnessed at Everton in almost 60 years of following them.

The man seems incapable of actually physically engaging with the game and seems to think that running closer to an opponent is actually doing something like tackle? tussle? dribble past? actually lift a ball from a corner? All praise to the other nine therefor especially Coleman, Distin, Gibson, Osman and Anichebe but in the name of heaven put Naismith out of his – and our – misery.

I couldn't explain without sounding mental but it really pisses me off. A silver lining by not getting to Wembley is not seeing this actor performing to the watching world.

Phil

I have to say, I had tears in my eyes at the end. The lads really showed some passion and it was great to see.

We all learned something new about Naismith, he can't even take a corner.

Keep Neville away from the team and suddenly Coleman looks inspired, not a coincidence as the poor lad is the first to get a bollocking from the man who can't pass 5 yards but can point a good game.

No more Neville, ever.

It's great to know they all care, no matter how much money they earn, and Moyes has to take a lot of credit for today.

If Silva had scored the goal Ossie did, everyone would be raving about it - give the lad some credit please.

Look, Phil, you know what we think of people being seen to blubber over Everton. Just make sure you don't sit in the directors' box and blubber.

Have to say, though, there was a tear in my eye, too. And in case anybody thinks I'm a softie - well, er, what I mean is there was a "tear" as in a "rip".

Can't believe that I could have felt so emotional about the game today, given that I was going into it so flat after last week.

And Kevin Tully, spot on. What kind of fans won't even give a player credit when he scores a belter. I was thinking Lampard but echo your feelings.

The guy has earned an England callup, scored 8 goals, has other teams' fans calling him the English Iniesta and still he's always first to be criticised. As I said TW folk are just hard to please, because fans fave Felli scores a screamer every week, doesn't he?

I think last week was a rarity where a David Moyes team seemed to lack any fight not something we usually get, even if they play badly they normally still work hard.
So all the doom-mongers who were predicting us to drop out of the race to compete with Arsenal and Chelsea and Spurs is still on, not to mention the doom-mongers predicting the R/S would be above us after today.

It's going to hurt not being in Europe next year as this team is so dangerous when they're on it, even with all the injuries. Such a pity and even if the RS miss out too it'll annoy me throughout the whole of next season.

I was behind the goal for that Dave Watson strike at Highbury as well, nearly got ejected! Loved that regal wave celebration he used to do too.

What a marvellous day. Total Grand Slam!!!

He is so reliable that he hardly ever gets noticed.

Fantastic team performance and Coleman had his best ever game for us..great going forward and excellent in defence.

We do far better against the best teams because none of them have big, pacey, strong strikers.
I feel far more relaxed with Heitinga playing against the top sides...he is a liability against teams with direct strikers.
Hopefully he will cover Jags injury absence as DM obviously does not fancy Duffy.

On 48 with 27 more there to get.

COYB!

Nr 1: Gibson should have started that game, Moyes chose to spear him in order to prioritise the League.

Nr 2: Moyes clearly had instructed the players to take it easy and avoid injury, the huge difference in performance by the whole team shows clearly that Moyes REALLY prefers the League to the Cup.

I do not accept this from Moyes, he said it had nothing to do with his contract situation, or anything like that. If you rule out all other possibilities then Moyes's preference for the League is all that is left.

Nobody really can disagree after watching the team picking and performance from both matches, today we were the good old Everton and held a clean sheet for the first time in forever.

Does anyone feel that Moyes should be sacked for not giving the FA Cup the same attention? I do, it simply is not acceptable. The way we went out from the League Cup was as much a disgrace, and Moyes's team picking and performance then smells the same, though he tried many youngsters he went too far and he knew it himself before the game started.

Gibson tor us now is all or nothing: if he plays, we do well. If Neville plays instead of him, that is just not good enough. Neville is the worst midfielder I have seen, why Moyes chose to play a weaker side against Wigan just goes to show that Moyes DOES make huge mistakes, and he was the reason we lost the game. When not giving it a 100% you get punished, Moyes is the reason we did not win the Wigan game because of his bad choices.

I think it is fake that Moyes gave us the impression that he treated the FA Cup and League the same. Why could he not be up front about it? Because he would have alienated most of the fans. To win a cup after so many years of waiting is priority number one, get that Wembley feeling back into the club and it changes the players for the better when you win a trophy. It also gives you Europa League which is an added bonus.

For Moyes to mean he wants 5th more then a cup trophy just makes him the wrong manager for us right now. We need a manager to be in sync with what the fans want, Moyes to me is just out of touch with our fans these days. It should not be accepted anymore, fans I think need to make a stand against Moyes at a certain point enough to make him leave.

I will be waiting to see what happens with Moyes and if the fans want him or not at the end of the season. Kenwright is NEVER going to sack Moyes or not hand him and improved new contract, so it is only the fans that can make Moyes go.

Mucha was very good and deserves every bit of praise. His kicking is shocking though. Even out of his hands it's a complete lottery as to where its going to go. He does look to throw it out though, which is something Howard lacks. Not having a pop though, he won the game for us and kept an unheard of CLEAN SHEET.

Victor was immense. He baffles me at times. All he has to do is give 100% and he will have a great game. He needs to do it every time he pulls on the shirt. Well done Vic.

Gibbo was the real quality for me today. The man is a Rolls Royce at times.

But MOTM has to be Seamus. If he improved his final ball he would be the best RB in the league. His pace on and off the ball is just incredible. He was so strong on the ball too. And that header to deny Tevez capped a perfect display.

£60k!!! Up yours City!

God, I'm welling up again!

Couple of points, Naismith is truly awful!!! And yeah Vic ran round loads today but if my 84-year-old mum bumped into him he would fall over, love to see his stats for actually being on his feet for 90 mins!!

Thought Ossie's goal was a screamer, we have had a couple this year, Baines free kick still GOS for me but wont be because Rooney/Ratface didn't score it!!!

We all have a bad day at work, hopefully last week was ours and we can have a good end of season and get ready for a bright new future under a keen, young, ambitious manager who likes to play attacking football!!!

Referring to ref decisions, he had the audacity to say, “Sometimes you look for decisions to go your way, and they just don’t”

Adding further that Ozzie did not hit it particularly well.

Fucking clown

I would add though that a great manager motivates his team no matter who they are playing, week-in, week-out.

Coleman blistering down the wing and simply taking the piss was funny given his two opponents had a combined cost of £38m to his £60k, trash with cash.

Mucha playing out of his skin and really should make Moyes think about giving Howard an automatic place when he's fit again. Hard to choose a MotM but for me personally I'd give it to Gibson for his tireless midfield hunting the whole game chasing everything that moved.

One niggle was Moyes replacement of Mirallas for Naismith which luckily thanks to Mucha went unpunished – the guy isn't good enough and was turned inside out on more than one occasion or simply couldn't catch the player he was supposed to mark but that was just a small blip on a great performance.

I hope Moysey lets Gibson and Seamus have a lie-in after St Paddy's night as well.

I reckon Phil is 100% Evertonian and a good man to keep at the club after his playing days.
Even Gary for my money is the most honest pundit and I have changed my mind about him.
Both Nevilles are fully committed professionals.

Can't say the same about the usual suspects on this thread. Trying to be clever but achieving quite the opposite.

I really felt we were likely to pull out that performance and that's the really exasperating thing about Moyes's Everton, they just can't do it when it really matters. Underdogs, pressure off and we go for it, but if we're expected to win and it really counts we freeze. Also I think Mancini and City in general have slighted Everton a few times over the years and we just to love to ram it back down their throats.

Really feels good today, especially as the RS got taught a lesson, but I can't help but reflect back to last week and I still hope Moyes leaves.

(Dons helmet, waits for volley of abuse from ex public schoolboys/coppers/farmers/masons/welshmen)

I think a few of you may want to amend your statements. It looked great and fair play for hitting it from there...but even he would admit that was a fortunate effort.

Obviously the application from all players was better but how much was influenced by change of personnel / tweaking of the formation (assuming the OP is correct)?

As far as I am aware Gibson's omission and Ossie having to do the lion's share of the donkey work in the middle of the park last week was the manager's tactical choice.

People are talking about last week being a blip when the quality has been distinctly variable for a couple of months at least.

Great result and the manager deserves his share of the credit, but does it show he did make the wrong decisions last week?

I enjoy both for some shared qualities but also for some very contrasting ones, and most of the players I know are the same.

Unless you have played both it may be impossible to understand that, or it may be that you have to have a particular mindset.

Watching MotD; Ossie's goal wasn't a fluke, he just caught it as he hopes to each time he has a shot, and Pienaar's challenge was worthy of a second yellow but never a straight red (IMHO). Seamus's defensive header was outstanding.

Definitely a day for English rugby fans to blank from their memory as the Welsh were excellent and well worth their victory (sob!).

At least it was an excellent day up until 5 pm. ;)

'Watching MotD; Ossie's goal wasn't a fluke, he just caught it as he hopes to each time he has a shot'

He kicks as much turf as he does football!!! Jesus Christ, are you blind?!

Oh my god, Big Club hands it to a Rich Club.

I love Everton and Goodison.

Quality. Bit more of this week in week out please.

It's his 2nd red card of the season so will miss 2 matches.

Pienaar runs and chases all game, every game and gets nothing, Anichebe does it when he feels like and gets a huge round of applause just for closing someone down.

If that was just it I wouldn't have brought it up but what I seen towards the end disgusted me. Last week Fellaini was rightly condemmed for turning his back on the ball. Yet Anichebe, not once but twice sat on his arse when the game is still going on around him when we were down to 10 men and there was fuck all wrong with him.

Can someone explain to me why Fellaini gets booed off the pitch but Anichebe gets a standing ovation for doing something twice thats just as bad?

We have a few weeks left with Moyes. Never heard of the Globe, but found it interesting, reading in here, that they're playing up "cyber" whoevers as the problem. As much as anything, read it as the first salvo our owners are firing across the bow of the post-Moyes era. They know he's the reason their It's-all-about-the-profit approach might become problematic next season.

It's their money and they're betting, fairly, that the next guy in can keep EFC in the 85% who retain EPL status to share in the TV gelt coming over the next few years. We'll see, but I'm worried already, the next fellow in do what Moyes has.

Immediately, we're on 48 with 27 more to go get. 6 points off 3rd place!

COYB!

Well today we saw they had some bottle. Don't blame Pienaar - he went but it could equally have been Fellaini, Osman, Mirrallas as they were all trying to make a point.

Outstanding performances for me were Coleman, Gibson and Mucha. Seamus was just outstanding in attack and defence. Gibson was really classy in midfield - none of it is spectacular but when he intercepts, plays a quick one two in a tight position and then starts the attack by switching play you see what we lose by picking Neville. I like Mucha, not least the way he looks to start attacks by bowling the ball out wide rather than dropping it to a centre half who the has little choice but to ping it.

So they've got balls. Even if all evidence is that if there was something riding on the game they wouldn't have put in this performance.

Bollocks

Today's win puts us 6 points off 3rd place. I saw it as mattering. What did you think?

Phil - will look at it again, but I thought he hit the ball pretty flush whilst it was just off the ground. Some turf flew at the moment of impact but as he didn't seem to make too much contact with the ground (from what I could see) I thought maybe the turf was already divoted / loose.

Please explain how its bollocks? Anichebe did sink to his feet twice and did it while the ball wasn't far away. There was nothing wrong with him cos after spending about 10 seconds on the floor he then stood up and started running again.

Fellaini was throwing his arms around when he, and the rest, had done fuck all to earn us anything all game.

Victor ran himself into the ground today. He rightly gets a load of shit when he turns up and puts in half arsed displays because we all know how good he can be. He does go down easy at times but today he was magnificent. He deserved that round of applause for his effort all game. He chased everything.

He did work hard today but I still doesn't excuse what he did. He wasn't injured and he hadn't worked that hard that he physically couldn't stand up any more so why do it? We were down to 10 men at the time and only one goal up.

Admittedly there are as usual no sources quoted, but I think it is exactly what he will do and it has nothing to do with the outpouring of anger by the fans last week.

He does sulk at times and there were plenty round me telling him to 'get the fuck up'. He deserves that and gets it every time it happens.

That aside, he was brilliant today and I can't understand why you'd begrudge him an ovation.

It's also worth noting that Vic hasn't spoken to any media outlets about leaving the club. Though I don't necessarily think that's why people jump on Fellaini's back.

Could I "forget" a spectre hovering just above me?

I'm all about us being 6 points off 3rd place with 27 points still out there. COYB all the way, every day.

But, Moyes gone in a few weeks, we're still stuck with our owners and their front-man Kenwright.

This time was different. Usually he pretends he's injured, holding his head while on the floor, hobbling after a clean tackle ect. This time he didn't even bother pretending, just sat there watching the game go on around him.

Seeing as no one else has mentioned it or thought it was a big deal, it must just be me cos I really can't stand him.

Yeah, sounds like you're not his biggest fan.

He had a good game mate, you've gotta admit that.

Post when you're sober tomorrow.

In another article in the Mail – I think – he is reported as saying that he and his players are ambitious and intimates that some of them will not be around come next season either, despite the fantastic display today I don't think an Everton manager should be saying these things. As you say, it is hardly a newsflash but I thought it was noteworthy.

You're right, and he got the grief he deserved from my section of the ground for those incidents.

He also got a standing ovation for all the good he did.

He does my head in at times too, but today he typified the team's performance.

Goodness gracious.

What Moyes said when asked on his future was that it depends on the players and where we finish, we're chasing Europe. That some players may not be here next season, he was more or less saying was dependent on the same things.

I still believe Moyes is still chasing 4th and hopefully saying that today won't bring a barrage of abuse my way.

At the start of the season everyone seemed in agreement - top 4 or bust. Nothing has changed.

Very different to Fellaini losing the ball and just giving up.

Just rewatched the game with my kids. Brilliant!

I was going to say Ernie. Do you have the kids sat by the TV, pad and pen in hand. Both wearing Steve Round headsets analysing the game

It appears to be a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma!

Our recently porous middle was well marshalled by a plethora of willing combatants and we never appeared to be nervy and profligate when under pressure.

There didn't appear to be a radical change of formation and yet it all looked so much more cohesive.

I thought Gibson looked assured and sprightly and Victor harried with enthusiasm and athleticism, but is that enough to explain such a radical swing? I would certainly have preferred Gibson to Neville last week but though he has not been scoring I have not been able to find fault with Jelavic's work ethic even though he is not as quick as Anichebe can be when he chooses.

Is it that Mancini lacks the nous of Martinez when it comes to dealing with the Everton system?

Minimal changes leading to a massive difference, or a combination of a number of intangibles flip-flopping from one extreme to the other?

Have now heard Pienaar's second bookable foul now described as a potential leg breaker by two separate pundits but I think this is a ridiculous assessment of what is, to me, a miss-timed leg dangle.

I can understand the yellow, but describing at as a leg breaker is ridiculous. Shin grazer at worst.

Peculiar to our lot. But if there's another explanation, I'm listening.

I prefer to think Top 4 was more important to them, given Moyes, Fella, and at no surprise, Baines will be gone come June or July.

So, 27 points there to get and effort like today could get all of them. Put us on 75, and let's see where that lands us. Certainly, a fond fairwell for this era in the Club's history.

COYB!

The comparison between him and Neville in that role is not worthy of comparison. You sort of overlook the clever one-twos in tight situations (he does that 5 or 6 times each week). He starts attacks as opposed to just shifting the ball on. He bursts through when the timing is right. He can pick a forward pass - that one to Naismith when there was nothing on was just exquisite. And he makes so many vital challenges - before the Naismith tackle for the second goal he made two beautiful challenges on the edge of his own box.

He had a perfect game against City. And most of the time he's at a good standard. Makes a difference - sets a team up if the centre is working.

Compare that to Oldham. Seamus and Leighton getting the ball and having nowhere to go. Neville marking space was a big part of that. You can get away with some weaknesses but not such a massive one in the centre of midfield.

I've heard the term, 'Raked his shins' a few times today. He did catch his studs in Garcia's sock but there was absolutely no weight in Pienaar's challenge. This is football right? His foot, on contact, was maybe 10 inches off the floor. Hardly horrific. His first yellow looked bad too, yet he never even touched Barry. He went down in anticipation.

AND Fellaini's tackle was very hard...but he got the ball. It wasn't 'excessive force'. He tackled Milner fair and square.

AND I'd even say that Fellaini should have had a penalty for that blatant block by Nastasic. Didn't Victor get pulled up for blocking Hart in a similar way?

And they have the cheek to moan about a City penalty not given! We had a good goal ruled out!

The run in for us is no picnic, just as it's none for the 3 clubs above us.

Can't think of a single ToffeeWebber even hinted at such.

Gibson's only been seen as a talisman, deservedly. Today, yet another example.

Why do you think him underestimated?

The clincher for me is, while all saw selecting Neville as a bad decision, not too many seemed to think it was pivotal.

That we lay down was bad, but that decision was the root cause.

In the live forum there were people saying he'd been a bit quiet (until he really came to the fore when we were down to 10). He was exceptional all game - little things that people don't always notice. Meanwhile there was a lot of praise for Ossie because he hit a belter. Ossie played well, but Gibson's supposed quiet game was streets ahead all match.

http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/manchestercity/id/782?cc=5901

'It was the team,' he said. 'Steven's been brilliant and his performance levels have been high. But today was just a poor day at the office for us.'

Seems like they all trot out the same bollocks.

"Ernie – Let's take another run at it when we've slept it off." — Is it you or me who's pissed?

BTW its 12 midday here in Bali — a time when only 'Alkys' are drunk.

This was a good performance by Everton but are we that surprised? In the main they have been playing well against the top sides at Goodison all season. The problem has been the way we have played against teams in the bottom half of the table. I thought Man City were really poor, Silva and Dzeko in particular didn't seemed bothered. There was one point when Coleman ran past Silva and he just stopped running!

The players & Moyes get themselves up for this game and have for every Man City game since Lescott was sold. The fact that they can't do this when it really matters is the problem and frankly so what if they played well yesterday its unlikely to make much difference to how the season turns out.

I was unhappy when he went off, however at least he's good to go next week.

I posted on one thread after last weeks debacle that it was heartbreaking to see Goodison emptying half way thought the game. Those fans who left were not "doomongers" - they were protesting with their feet for the lack of fight and pride in the shirt they were witnessing on the pitch. Many of the protests that followed on this site were from fans who had previously defended DM and acknowledged his contribution to the club.

They gave the players and a manager a proper bollocking for a performance that was just not good enough in arguably the biggest game of the season - the prize a very possible double trip to Wembley and silverware. To say it was a missed opportunity is an understatement - it was a disaster.

David Moyes said he would have been surprised if he hadn't got a reaction from the team. So would I. The commentators on Sky suggested that the reaction of the Everton faithful to the Wigan debacle was over the top. How wrong can you be.

I think most Evertonians are as one eyed as me - certainly all the ones I know are. The following the team gets away from home and the 30 odd thousand that turn up week in and week out are the envy of most of the premier leagues been counters. So when those fans arch up everyone should take notice and ask why. I think the manager and the players did and I give them credit for that.

Morals of the story:

No individual is bigger than the club (player or manager)
Nothing but YOUR best is good enough if you represent EFC
Once an Evertonian always an Evertonian!

Moyes consistently pulls off attacking players when we are protecting a lead, why do you think his substitution of Mirallas on Saturday was due to anything other than that?

Talk is cheap and you're talking bollocks

Hell you're right, let's keep him on and flog him. Using an exclamation mark must prove you're right..... not.

In addition to all of this we have the evidence of who he has actually brought on in his place - Naismith. Now if he had put on Oveido for Mirallas then you could at least make the argument that he wasn't changing his tactics and wanted to have a pacy outlet on the counter, therefore the substitution might be down to keeping him fit. But he didn't do that, and the reason is, that he wanted to sit deep and keep things tight for the last 20 minutes. That is his view of the game. I think its pretty clear why he substituted him and to pretend its anything other than tactical is rubbish.

The same as I have no evidence that he was taken off for tactical reasons, you have no evidence that it's not been because of fitness. His choice of a right sided forward over a left sided full back counts for fresh air.

The reason he can't last 90 minutes is because Moyes hauls him off! Sorry you do have evidence he was taken off for tactical reasons, you just need to look at the player that was brought on for him and how we played.

Don't I know it, and I'm an Evertonian and Welsh. What is more I have always
secretly thought of Liverpool as the capital of Wales - sounds daft you bet, but there is such a long history with North Wales and Scouseland.

Cymru am Byth, COYB

As someone who spent quite a few holidays in North Wales as a kid, I've always loved the place and the people - so it makes me feel a bit odd to realise that a lot of the Welsh seem to hate the English.

This is worth a listen, if you haven't seen it before. Gavner P's Scouse/Welsh song, 'Scwelsh': http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcFB7Oowt8I

I don't see why you find it hard to understand Brin. Being an Everton fan is something that means so much to so many of us, including the Welsh. I lived on the border in south Wales for much of my formative years and supporting Wales in the rugby was essential as so many English friends wanted the rivalry. Being both a Wales rugby fan and an Evertonian fit well enough for me. Both have been the nearly men so many times in my life, but Welsh rugby is on a high, just wish Everton could copy that winning formula.

Support England, you must be joking.

I went to a rugby playing grammar school in Liverpool at a time when Wales ruled the (British) roost, rugby wise, so always have a soft spot for The Red Dragons. I still support England, though. It is odd, very odd indeed, when Evertonians celebrate a Welsh victory against the English.

I have no axe to grind against Wales - as I've already said, I'm positively inclined towards North Wales (and Pembrokeshire is very nice, too!) and I'm well aware that many true-blue Evertonians come from Wales, but the whole thing is a muddle, to be honest. It is totally illogical that Wales is a separate country and yet Cardiff and Swansea can compete in an English league! Unless, of course, Wales is not a separate country...

I found everton as an 8 year old. No one sat me down and told me they were English, or indeed would break your heart, but 29 years on thats what I can tell you. My nearest side plays in front of 150 people so please excuse the glory hunting tendencies, Newtown didn't feature much in panini sticker books.

A benign smile, a foreign accent and a good relationship with the Press maketh not a good manager!

I'm of Irish ancestry but born in Toxteth couldn't be prouder of our Welsh, Irish and of course Tartan blues - fantastic.

On the match, my memory isn't wonderful for it, but was Fellaini's foul at Etihad that gave them their penalty somewhat similar to the one on him yesterday that wasn't given?