David Moyes reveals half-time tweak that helped Everton hold Arsenal to a 1-1 draw

Arsenal — not at full strength and looking at the next game with Real Madrid — were the better team but the point is welcome as we strive to stay above Wolves and West Ham and earn some cash from a higher finishing positioning the Premier League table.

An opportunity was presented just at the right time… but you couldn't capitalize on it.

In the end, I was glad of the draw and avoiding a dreaded defeat.

Still, a surprising but welcome gift that we took advantage of.
I do think Moyes has greater influence than Dyche in these situations.

And that putting O'Brien in at right-back, while hoping Beto can slot a one-on-one, is no substitute for better players.

I've said it half a dozen times now: given our circumstances and bench, Doucoure and Harrison with their hard work and running will find it hard to get dropped from a Moyes team.

Tim Iroegbunam showed what he is — a makeweight in a PSR fiddle with Villa.

Gana had a poor game.

After all the pre-game worries about Patterson, we got done right down the middle, saved twice by last-ditch tackles from Branthwaite, Tarkowski and saves by Pickford – it could've been 3 or 4.

Is it just me or are Arsenal a team cast in their manager's image, said manager being 'The snideyest little Spaniard we know'?

Unless they up their game or Real Madrid have gone backwards, they have their work cut out on Tuesday.

He was my MotM just for that; otherwise, we lose that game 3-1.

We got a lucky break with the penalty and, apart from Doucouré's shot a minute after the penalty, we never looked as though we could get a second goal.

Iroegbunam impressed many fans at the beginning of the season but he has much to learn about midfield play. His positional sense is poor, he lacks awareness of danger, and in the second half of this match, he was twice caught in possession leaving our team exposed to the counterattack.

He has time on his side to develop but he looks to me like a player who needs intensive coaching.

All-in-all, though, I thought we played well and Tim Iroegbunam will be good for us in the future. I would love to see Calvert-Lewin back in this side.

The last 2-3 seasons have been a nightmare, injury-wise, for the lad. Just as he was breaking into the England team, everything has gone wrong for him.

I know he'll be off in the summer but he's someone I've always rated highly. If only he had decent players (service) around him and some stability on the managerial front, who knows what he could have become.

Gana is a harrier and tackler – he does not move into space to receive the ball and has a tendency to attempt long passes that may or may not come off. Alcaraz is on the wing.

In a Premier League side, what is needed is a midfield trio of movement, covering, tracking back, coordination and interplay. Above all ,what is need is recovering the ball having lost possession and then retaining possession to set up forward play.

Arsenal walked straight through the middle of Everton's midfield and the Everton forwards were never in the position that they were at the end of a good midfield passing movement. Moyes did have such a midfield trio at West Ham, but when one left it fell apart, which would suggest it was by luck rather than design.

Moyes was not only lucky with the penalty, but was lucky with last ditch tackles, though one was missed, and an outstanding Pickford save.

I don't like it when Moyes tries to feed out sop (tweaks?). The day he says "People's Club", I will be on here every day wanting him sacked.

Derek @4, It just goes to show the game is all about opinions. I thought Gana was our best player by a country mile yesterday, followed by the usual two centre-backs and goalie. We need to extend his contract at the end of the season. He is a machine in the centre-mid area.

We tend to play 4-4-1-1 to try and break quick and use Doucoure's energy to support the forwards and midfield. Arsenal are no mugs but they certainly didn't rip through our centre-mids, they passed it too slow and enabled us to retain shape.

I also thought Beto should have stayed on with Broja or Chermiti supporting him for the last half-hour rather than Doucoure.

Patterson looked what he was, a right-back playing out of position.

Where was [Pickford] when Branthwaite headed the ball off the line from a bleedin' corner?

I don't know if you saw the replay of that but the corner (from Rice I think) was brilliant — it had a fantastic curved trajectory that was going to bring it just inside the far post for a goal direct from the corner.

Pickford has a split second as the corner is launched to decide whether he comes out and punches it, or he stays fairly central in the goal, ready to react to any header coming in.

Watch the flight of the ball — I think if he'd come out to punch it, it would have flown 5 feet over his head. As it was Branthwaite, whose judgement and positioning is superb, watched it all the way and was perfectly positioned to jump in front of an Arsenal player at the far post as it dropped, and head it perfectly over the goal.

He's had a tough second season but this and the fantastic tackle he did on Trossard were two exceptional moments of incredible skill and ability that really show how good he is.

And that bloke Pickford's not bad either.

Do any statos out there know the most draws we've had in a season?

My biggest worry with Pickford is the way he lines up his wall. He got one right yesterday when the Arsenal player went for power and chose to smash it to the third of the goal that Jordan was protecting, but anyone who can deftly get it over the wall Sheedy style, would beat him every time, imo.

I thought Brantwaite showed how important he his to our team at Anfield, Michael, and continued it yesterday.

He might have to go because of the uncertainty (to us all) regarding PSR, but surely there has got to be a better way?

I think when you have got a few players like Jarrad and Jordan, you have got a much better chance of really progressing and maybe even winning a trophy, so hopefully they are both retained and added to.

Really. Lewis Dobbin was the other part who was instantly loaned out to Championship WBA where he had 1 start, 16 from the bench and zero goals. That loan was terminated and he is now at Championship Norwich City where he has at least scored twice.

Who was the makeweight? The one in the Championship or the one in the Premier League?

Totally agree about how Pickford positions himself for free kicks, he seems to leave a massive gap for anyone able to lift it up over the wall. Although the save he made in the 2nd half was truly world class.

I also agree how important Branthwaite is to this team, and he should be the last player we consider selling in the summer; for me, he is a future England captain — never mind captaining the Blues. To sell Branthwaite would send out the wrong message to any prospective new player.

With new owners, I am sure they will resist going for the quick buck, and hopefully will use Branthwaite and O'Brien as the building blocks for the future.

The press reported some weeks ago that Branthwaite was happy to sign a new extension to his contract. I say give him what we can afford over a long period with no get-out clauses.

As always with David Moyes, he will have a strong defence with which to build on and, while there may be many deficiencies elsewhere in the team, our defence doesn't need much tinkering.

Dave @1, I think we can still overtake Manchester United, maybe one more, position, but that might be a bit too much of an ask, as the likes of Palace will pick up points.

I was happy with the point, although that is now 5 draws and 1 loss in 6. I'd like a win or 3 before the end of the season.

There's some on here who reckon Pickford makes too many mistakes, doesn't command his box etc.

I'd love to know who they'd replace him with. He's a top ,top keeper.

Villa are a very similar club to Everton in terms of history, size, stature and support base.

Relegated to the 3rd tier of English football in 1969-70, the year we won the league. Relegated in 1987, again, a year we won the league. And relegated again in 2015.

Supporter discontent at two hugely unpopular owners, particularly Doug Ellis, who cut costs, asking players to take a pay cut, whilst naming a stand after himself when still alive, which caused outrage amongst many of their supporters. Lerner wasn't much more popular.

So they are a bit like us in terms of spikes of success over the years, but unlike us, they've been relegated a lot more.

I have an affiliation with Villa through the in-laws. I wouldn't confess to be an expert, but I know enough about them and their supporters.

So I don't think they have higher standards than Everton. You might be correct if you're talking about maybe the last few seasons, it depends what time frame you're putting on it.

Last won their 7th league title in 1981, similar to our 9th 1987. Although their last one prior to 1981 was in 1910.

Last won the FA Cup in the 1950s, dissimilar to ours in 1984 and one in 1966.

Villa Park's capacity is only slightly more than Goodison at 42,000.

As I say, similar clubs.

Should have received a yellow card.

The replay of that corner wasn't shown on the highlights but you are saying he had a split second to decide whether to come out and punch it or stay central.

You need a bleedin' crowbar to get Calamity off his line at the best of times but you then say Branthwaite watched the flight of the ball all the way and was perfectly placed to head it off the line— why wasn't Pickford watching the flight of the ball and use his legs to get across to the corner and clear it?

You are right about Rice and his use of the dead ball kicks, same as Mac Allister for Liverpool with his umpteen corner kicks the other night, all perfectly placed.

Our players mustn't be listening to our dead-ball coaches advice and Moyes has gone out of his way to bring this expert in, with dozens of other clubs fighting to use his experience and genius in this field!

I also believe that we won't finish any lower than where we currently are, possibly a place higher. How we would have taken that scenario at the end of November last year.

They have asked for an extension of ninety minutes after the final whistle to continue selling alcohol throughout the ground and also continue playing incidental music.

Going to be a great party on that day.

As charming as the Main Stand concourse is, I wouldn't want to linger!

"I think we can still overtake Manchester United".

We would be a two or three points ahead of them today, Danny, if we had not drawn so many matches and if Beto had not given us so much pitiful finishing over the last 5 matches.

We'd have had 3 points to their zero. Just saying.