Everton switch warm weather plans to the Algarve

Do you really need to make that comment

Pure prejudicial bias without balance.

Maybe you would be happier if we got Frank as you previously stated in the past we might be playing attacking football like Spurs

Does Moyes put more work into defensive tactics or attacking tactics?

Judging by what we watch,its the former.

Fair comment from Annika I thought

A lot of goals are coming from corners, free-kicks and long throws, so it makes sense.

Especially for a team like us that struggles to create chances from open play.

They did hire a set piece coach in Charly Adam, that didnt work out to well. I have to laugh when I hear cries for a specialist coach for this that or the other. Nowadays these players cant seem to think for themselves, they train everyday and no doubt work of offensive and defensive set pieces, but none of them seem to have the ability to change from the tried and failed dead ball tactics. I know its going back a long way but Danny Blanchflower who captained Spurs to their league and FA Cup double, also played for Ireland. They played Italy away who had a forward who could hit free kicks from 30 yards and score. So Blanchflower on their last training session got his team together and explained that he wanted them to have a wall of 4 or 5 players to stop the Italian shooting directly at the goal. Th eplan worked perfectly and that tactic is still being used today, but it came from a player not a manager or a set piece coach.

I agree on the modern day coaches taking individuality out of the game in general,its as if the players cant think for themselves.

From corners against us I would like to see 3 of our players on the half way line.That would see 3, if not 4,of the opposing players in same area to defend the break.

6 or 7 Players out of a crowded box makes defending easier imo.

Back to the days of " he is your man,if he scores its your fault"

Charlie Adams wasn’t a set piece coach. He’d never done the job in his life.

A lot of premier league clubs have hired specialist set piece coaches - Arsenal, Villa, Brentford, Brighton, Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Newcastle United, Bournemouth, Palace, Spurs, now Liverpool.

And the Top 10 teams for set piece goal this season?

1. Arsenal

2. Newcastle

3. Chelsea

4. Leeds

5. Bournemouth

6. Man Utd

7. Crystal Palace

8. Brentford

9. Spurs

10. Liverpool.

14. Everton.

Sorry but your views on this are out-dated.

You are probably right that my views are outdated, but sometimes learning from the past is no bad thing. To be honest the football in the 60s and 70s was more enjoyable than todays. Seems Guardiola has his team doing something and everybody copies. Like 2 defenders in the 6 yard box for goal kicks were they inter pass with the goalkeeper. I know in the last couple of games we have changed it a little but why does every club who kick off pass the ball back 30 yards to the keeper to hoof up field.

Commentator " David Moyes must have been watching the Rugby Union 6 Nations game on tv over the weekend"

As Brian @(17) Football was a lot more enjoyable in the 60’s and70’s than it is today with possession the key to football’s style now and it gets very boring for long stretches of lots of games with the current leaders of the table “ win at all,costs “ style while accepted by their fans I think when/if they win the title they will not win any popularity contests with most neutral fans and nomInwouldn’t be happy won the title with that class of football although we have played plenty ultra defensive tactics under different managers and won nothing but putting fans off with their anti football form of playing.

Imagine the lift it’ll give them mentally instead of playing in shite weather every week and some much needed vitamin D instead of permanent rain and grey skies.

More time together may help in the long run.

It’s about getting the players all together for longer. Especially the youngsters.

Hard games coming up.

Jimmy “roll my eyes, oh dear, blah, blah” Carr only comes on here to insult his fellow blues.

Never has any insights on football to contribute.

No need for that, man!

Cnuts and twats yes but gobshites??

Behave!

The thread was about Everton going to the Algarve for warm weather training and as Jimmy correctly states a post about warm weather training is about Moyes tactics and out come the usual suspect peddling the same old bitter bias. Yet nobody comment on the second part of the post as to whether they would prefer a progressive manager like Frank at Spurs.

However the post did focus on real football issues which are both defensive and attacking related which is our set-piece setup. Frank to give him credit exposed our defensive set-piece frailties on corners at BMD so here I do hope Annika is right and Moyes is “run(ing) and extra few defensive drills ready for the last few games”.

I also hope he is focusing on improving our set-piece drills in attack for our corners and we do not see a repeat of the farcical set up we had v Man Utd.

As far as the set pieces are concerned, if other teams are fouling and blocking the goalkeepers and getting away with it then we have to do it too.

Whats the point of having rules/laws if the refs/authorites don't uphold them. It's like all-in wrestling in the penalty area; penalise them, they will soon stop it.

Another pet hate of mine is pushing players over, all this ' he's not pushed him hard enough' bullshit, any deliberate push to knock a player over is a foul. The refereeing and VAR standards are pathetic in general.

"Nowadays these players can't seem to think for themselves."

Sean Dyche agrees with you, he was slagging Omari Hutchinson for this:

Sean Dyche's subtle dig at Omari Hutchinson justifies Nottingham Forest decision

Fingers crossed as we will struggle without his pace at the back in these up coming games against some good attacking pace.

Without a doubt, we are a different team when he's in the side, and we are desperately going to need him for the last 9 games.

As for the warm weather training in the Algarve, I wouldn't say Portugal was that warm at this time of year.

I was told that he would be out for two months and the news that he wouldn't be travelling to Portugal was given 30 minutes after they found out he had this injury.

I hope this is false news but the lad who gave my grandson the news doesn't give out news like that just for the sake of it.

It is a bit of a concern that he hasn't travelled though, and let's hope he isn't out, otherwise as far as I'm concerned that's the fight for Europe over.

Yes, I hope Jarrad is okay and the injury, I think there is one, is not too serious for the sake of Jarrad himself, Everton, and us the fans because I'm sure all of the fans recognise he is a special player who adds class and composure plus a bit of pace to our game.

Maybe it is a Chinese whisper which has grown as passed along but let's see the outcome very quickly and he plays on Saturday.

Top class player, but this will dent his World Cup hopes. Intense games over a short period of time is not going to be helpful to him, and I want to see him in an England shirt.

Here we are top half of the table, a chance to get into Europe, and I don't mean the Algarve. The first time since Father Time was a lad that were not circling the relegation plug hole, seven away wins and, despite the new stadium curse, we are looking healthy.

I think some of you don't deserve such a good manager, I suggest you read the articles of players who have worked under him and how they have praised him.

Some of you would want a younger "trendy thinking manager" really? But the teams who hired these in the Premier League have come unstuck. You’re having a laugh but you tell a lousy joke!

You see you need a certain quality that Moyes has and you haven't, it’s called "Wisdom and Experience", with it comes survival and progress.

Do I disagree sometimes with his tactics? Of course nothing’s ever perfect but I trust his judgement and also the table does not lie.

I think we are in for an exciting summer window and next we really will be challenging for European places. That said some of you will still be professional whiners on her, and I admit it’s a great source of entertainment to read, what a happy breed you are!

Of course, how dumb of any doubters. Anything positive is absolutely 100% down to the Moyesiah, clearly the only manager in football who could have saved us, Whilst anything, er, not so positive can be blamed on a ‘curse'.

Neil, I wouldn't write off Frank just because he couldn't get the Spurs rabble into shape.

Very few managers have a consistently good track record. Like any other career, what ultimately matters is what they learn from their mistakes.

Likewise, a fair guarantee of resilience may be comforting when you've experienced a fair amount of upset but it isn't an assured indication that a manager can get you to the upper echelons.

I’ve seen the survival but not the progress…

I still remember his trophyless first stint as manager. I am amazed that some of you are happy to go back to that.

It's also a great source of entertainment reading all the happy clappers’ Moyesiah posts.

But, if you are happy with no trophies season after season, content with regular, early cup exits ,good for you.

Long term mediocrity is not what I am hoping for personally. But it's what I expect under your hero.

Oh yeah, Steve, I've seen your posts saying I never comment about football. I just didn't realise I was in the rarified company of so many knowledgeable experts here when I regularly read posts like 'Just fuck off Moyes' after any slightly disappointing result. So thanks for your advice, but nah, you can keep it.

Although we do seem to have strayed just a little bit off-topic!

What type needles do you use personally, that kind of thing

Re “warm climate training” I don't really understand the need for that? Surely we have all the facilities we need at Finch Farm?

And more? Better than temporary camp in Portugal? Why Portugal by the way? It's not even proper Spain!
Seriously though, our next game is in North London, not Mexico City.
Perhaps it's a team bonding exercise?

And I've never read a post from you that makes any real points on the performance of the team, or football in general. Including that one.

Imagine calling your fellow blues “gobshites”. Lower than a snake's belly in my opinion.

You strike me as a typical ToffeeWeb moaner, and if you have read my posts you'll know I do comment on the game, but whatever, I am equally disinterested in your point of view.

Imagine coming onto a website and constantly calling out the manager of the team you profess to support, and then getting all high and mighty when you get called out on it.

As I've said before, people who pay good money to go the game have every right to complain about the football that's served up by David Moyes and the team.

However ToffeeWeb is also home to a bunch of moaners who watch the game at home or in the pub and then can't wait to jump on here and have a whinge about it if we haven't won 7-0 and played like Barcelona.

Are they the 'fellow blues' you're referring to? Yeah, lower than a snake's belly.

“Professing to support” that just shows your typical arrogance and ignorance in equal measure. You do not get to tell me or any other supporter what it takes to follow Everton, how we behave or what we can say or can't say.

Everton supporters on TW support the club, not any particular manager. Also, I am a season ticket holder (are you?), so I put my money where my mouth is. Regardless of whether other posters do the same, or are able to do the same, I respect their right to give an opinion.

You strike me as someone who tries to insult and belittle your fellow supporters -- gobshites, serial moaners, blah, blah -- rather than engage in a proper football discussion to defend your points.

Here is a shocking development for you - myself and many other posters do not agree with you about the abilities of the current manager. So scrape your jaw off the floor, get over it and stop insulting your fellow supporters.

Eight clean sheets in their remaining eleven games. Moysey would have had to be working overtime if he's going to get us accomplishing similar results!

It doesn't make sense why the club would make a statement that they were just monitoring his progress, as a precaution, after his operation... but if he really has another relapse, it totally stinks???

Been there, done that... under?

Do not classify me without knowing me. Moyes is no hero of mine. He is functional at the moment but no more.

Does he have potential to move us to a higher level with good signings in the Summer? I don't know but neither do you despite your bias. Let's see how the season pans out before we cast our judgement.

And no, you don't need my permission to post but it would be refreshing to see an original post rather than the same old regurgitated comments even tho the thread was about warm-weather training.

It would also be nice to post without the same culprits leaping to Moyes’s defence all the time.

How is my opinion bias by the way? He had 11 years here previously and couldn't break the glass ceiling he created. I don't think he will be any different this time around.

That's not bias, it's an opinion.

I'm sorry, but anybody who posts regularly on this site knows you are a very staunch supporter of Moyes. You may as well start each of your posts with "I'm not a Moyes supporter... but! "

Your constant demands for "balance" (if such a thing exists in football discussions) will fall upon deaf ears, I'm afraid. That's because (whether you realise it or not) your own balance is all one way.

Whilst I think most of the criticism against Moyes is legitimate, I'd be happy to concede some of it can be pretty mindless. But that cuts both ways. Some of the stuff I see put up in support of him simply defies belief!

That's where your balance fall over; you never challenge any of those.

There is a growing number of people on here who regularly come on to berate people for what they see as negative posts. They confuse criticism of Moyes with negativity. Often the howls of protests against this perceived "negativity" far out-weigh the criticism itself -- one post can set you all off.

You see Annika's post as non-football related, but he talks about the manager of the team... so that is football related. When you do that, you make it impossible not to notice when you say nothing about the real whiners. Those who really don't want to talk about the game.

Personally. I see posts such as 21 and 31 as some sort of fuck-witted attempts to shout people down. They can't counter the argument so they want to silence it.

It won't work. Many Evertonians are football lovers too. They will never be silent about a manager who wants to represent our club as a professional game spoiler.

It just seems very odd the way the Echo has put out that story today:

James Tarkowski explains Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite hope ahead of fitness update

A story that of course says nothing -- because there is nothing to say -- because, for all their blather, the Echo jurnos seem to be kept very much at a distance from Finch Farm, or (probably more likely) have been warned that their access will be constrained if they play fast and loose with information deemed 'sensitive'.

So I guess we'll have to wait for the full reveal from the Moyesiah, our very own Supreme Leader!

Firstly let me be crystal clear and agree with one statement in your response, that I would never condone posts 21 & 31.

I would consider myself as first and foremost as an Everton supporter who accesses TW to be informed on the latest news on the team. However when I see the 4th post on a piece about the team going to the Algarve for warm weather training having a what I would consider a cheap dig based on a obvious long held bias adding nothing to the theme of the thread so called it out. Am I not entitled to do so.

Please do not label me as very staunch supporter of Moyes or of anyone else. He is our manager at the moment of the team I have supported for 60 years this summer, lets judge him at the end of the season. He is getting results, but there is a lot more work needed including basics at which I would have expected Moyes to be good at (see Post 26)

I do find the last comment interesting “ Many Evertonians are football lovers too. They will never be silent about a manager who wants to represent our club as a professional game spoiler”. I find it interesting because I have recently heard the same criticisms said about Arteta’s Arsenal and he has a far more skilful squad available to him.

There are plenty that have done it at little clubs, Martinez, Potter, Franks etc but I don't see many that have achieved that transformational turnaround at a bigger middle club.

Howe maybe, Emery isn't exactly free flowing, and Pochettino never won anything at Spurs.

So there you go, name a trophy winning manager, that has provided sustained success, playing attacking football in the Premier league, that has taken a middle club to the promised land, but without a soveign state or oil oligarch spending a fortune. You can have 25 years.

Ever

Twenty five years Ian, I’m sure David Moyes, has managed for around that length of time mate.

Division two champion, Europa conference league winner, Charity Shield, winner, and he got both Everton and West Ham, to an average league position of seventh.

He was clapped out of Goodison, after eleven years after getting to one cup final and delivering no trophies, and he was hounded out of West Ham, after delivering the conference cup.

Why were the Evertonians so happy with David, but the West Ham fans, a club that haven’t really won much throughout their entire history, not so happy?

Have Evertonians changed? Why did the fans of the one time Merseyside millionaires, suddenly become happy with watching pragmatic football, whilst getting hoodwinked into believing that the club were actually punching above their weight?

Did the West Ham fans, suddenly get above their station, after Moyes, delivered them their first trophy, in 43 years, by demanding a lot more?

The hammers are in trouble, maybe their fans should have been more careful with their wishes, or perhaps they got fed up watching win at all costs football, whilst being bored and frustrated watching their team play?

The arguments both for and against Moyes, are becoming a little bit boring, a bit like his football for some, and a bit like the questions the journalists have been asking David, about our home form, because he thinks we have been playing well.

The word I hear used a lot by a lot of Evertonians, is stability, and after so many failed managers, who can blame them?

For others it’s about being brave and bold, and trying to play in a style that was befitting of some of the great teams, the club has produced in the past, and once again, who can blame them?

That one?

To be fair mate he only went progressively defensive later on in his career.

Okcocha, Djorkaeff played in that side

Keegan played an exciting brand of football, is the only one I can think of in recent times, and sadly for the bar codes, threw away a league.

Ange won europa, but look at spurs now. Potter, Franks all failing. I struggle to see any attacking managers thst are making it to 3 seasons.

They were the big 5, and always had the financial power to buy the best players.

Alas a balanced piece

I’m currently in the camp of stability in the short term after so many tumultuous years of of constantly checking the table on our chances of survival.

After establishing stability, the improved income stream from the new stadium, we should be in a position IF we recruit well to move onto the next level with better players. There is a general consensus in that Moyes is old school who believes if you don’t concede you don’t lose games rather than the Keegan mould in that we will always score more than we concede.

I have no idea who would make good use of the financial resources available to build a team we all crave for (some patiently, some impatiently) but recent appointments of so called up and coming progressive managers has not faired well for many.

While one goes out to win every game. The other never Does. He chooses to set his stall out not to lose them. This will be born out when Arteta's team parade a trophy in front of hundreds of thousands of Gooners in North London. Worse still; They are highly likely to finish the season having scored TWICE as many as Moyes's team. After creating three times more chances. I doubt many Gooners will describe their man as a game spoiler as the parade sails by.

I also think bit would be prudent to stay away from comparisons with other clubs and other managers if your aim is to defend Moyes - Again, I would bet good money that at least 25 managers have won a trophy since he first came here. Names like McClaren, Ramos, Martinez McLeish, Laudrup, Howe, Redknapp, Rodgers, Glasner etc...have all delivered a trophy for their fans whilst managing clubs that couldnt hold a candle to EFC. Moyes has had more chances than most of Them put together. The difference is; They dared. He doesnt know how to.

I was having a bit of banter with a Leicester fan the other day. I called them a YoYo club. He agreed with me, but he was quick to remind me that while we havent won a banny mug this century. They had won all three major English trophies. The thought made my blood run cold. While three different managers have taken the "Mighty Leicester" to glory Moyes continues to steal a living at one of the worlds finest footballing institutions.

It's not enough that we fail, We have to fail by playing a zombie style football which has the general public desperate for us to be last on MOTD every week. Just so they can fuck off to bed early safe in the knowledge that they are highly unlikely to be missing anything.

I don’t judge Everton, on what others have done, I judge Everton, on what they have done before.

You’re correct, Manchester United, was always a big club, and even when they were really lagging behind Liverpool, in domestic titles, I always thought they were the biggest club in England.

I also/always believe that Everton, have still got the capabilities to become the best team in the land again, but not whilst people are arguing who was the better manager, out of Dyche and Moyes.

Alex Ferguson, like Howard Kendall, was precariously close to the sack. He inherited a club, with a massive drinking culture, but again like Howard Kendall, (who’s fans were actually having a whip-round to sign him a player, because Everton were skint) he had a massive inner belief in his ability, and he knocked Liverpool, right off their fucking perch.

Kendall, might have done the same only for Heysel, but he still gave us some truly magnificent times because he had the talent, that inner belief and also the desire that is required if a man is going to truly succeed.

Moyes, is okay, but I want a lot more than okay. Moyes has openly admitted he doesn’t like Merseyside derbies, and people say he understands Everton?

Maybe it’s me, maybe I should just be happy going out of the cups early, just as long as we have stability in the league?

Especially now because we aren’t fighting relegation, even though we haven’t really fought it since 2023, (fact) but now that we have got a brilliant new ground, that is both befitting of what Everton, used to always stand for and also holds close to 50,000 passionate Evertonians, just willing to see a tenacious team, then I am sorry, but I want to watch a bit more than boring pragmatism and rigid formations, because it’s bringing us so much stability.

The three "defensive managers" you spoke about.
Have a look at goals scored table in their first title winning seasons.

There's defensive... then there's defensive.

What Neil sets out I think is where many will be, me included. Moyes can build a foundation to hand over a club with a good potential of younger players, that can deliver a workrate and spirit, that gives the next guy a chance to take it to the next stage.

That right person needs to come to a club that is on the straight and narrow. Has all the building blocks to make success. Finances need to be right, good players need to be in the building, and we've got to look good, such that the best out there will say, "Yeah, I am going to take this club to the top".

Many will ask: Why can't we move to that now? The honest answer is most managers can't handle transformation of a club and win matches to keep themselves in a job long enough.

The average tenure is 1.42 years, and the transfer window is now really only once a year. Impacting change has never been harder.

I accept from Darren that no-mark teams have won stuff that we should've been going for. And it grates.

But those managers collectively never went on and succeeded with those clubs. Relegation or sackings soon followed. It has always been a tough job taking these clubs forward, and the fact that nearly all failed after their success illustrates just that.

Laudrup - League Cup, then sacked next session
McLeish - League Cup & relegated same season, failed at Villa.
Ramos - League Cup & sacked following season
Redknapp - FA Cup, never won anything at Spurs
Rodgers - FA Cup, relegated in 2 seasons after
Martinez - FA Cup & relegated, failed at Everton
Glasner - FA Cup and ready to quit
Howe - League Cup and open question if he stays in post
McLaren - cup success, did a fair job with Boro & took them as far as he could, failed with England.

The only difference between him and all those managers I listed is: He never won fuck all before he was sacked -- despite earning more and having vastly superior players at his disposal. While they can take memories of glory into their retirement, Moyes will have to content himself with counting the money.

I wonder if there is a richer failure? ... In any sport?

If Villa come in the Top 5 and win the Europa League, would England get an extra place in next season's Champions League?

Aston Villa are favourites in that competition, although they also have a good chance of qualifying automatically with a top-five Premier League finish.

There's an article on BBC that covers it, Tony. Villa need to finish outside of the Champions League spots and win Europa League to open that spot up.

Could seven Premier League clubs qualify for the Champions League?

I take it you don't like Moyes or anyone who does not agree with you views. Although you pigeonhole me as a staunch defender of Moyes, I would consider myself to be in the Ian camp.

Just over a year ago, we were looking down the barrel of relegation and urgently needed to get a manager who would be willing to take over the team when Dyche lost the dressing room. It was always going to be an interim appointment and still is.

Do you really believe we have the players to play that expansive attacking football you crave? I don't. We are at least 4-5 players short of a free-flowing team. Look how many times we gave away the ball v Man Utd.

For me, the question is: Is he getting the most from the players available to him?

I presume you don't think so. I don't know... but I am prepared to see where we are at the end of the season.

One irritation I do have, along with those who constantly criticise Moyes, is his reluctance to make changes, so maybe we agree on one aspect of his management.

Not one of them is worth what they're paid.

You my friend don't seem to understand how a football forum works.

Think of it as an alehouse. Have you ever stood up among a crowd of really passionate fans arguing their corner before or after a game and shouted "come on lads and girls. A bit of balance, PLEEZE"!!!.

If you did that among the Evertonian's I know. Somebody would tell you to get the ale in while your standing up. That would be the only real response you would get.

You can think what you like, but if I didnt like people simply because they disagreed with me. I would have no family or friends. I love an argument about footy - and I really do mean that - the better your argument against me the more I like and respect you.

What I DONT like, is what you and a growing number of posters on here are trying to do. You are trying to silence any sort of criticism of Davey Moyes. See the post 21,31,40,46 and don't forget to check back on your own post @6.

I do not pigeonhole you as a staunch Moyes supporter. You do that on an almost daily basis all by yourself and not just on this website. Whilst you say you want balance you demonstrate none at all. You have never come on to try to silence a Moyes supporter. You couldnt wait to try to silence Annika. Nor could the ensuing pile on - Although it was noticeable that none of you dared to disagree with him.

Trust me, Neil. You will NEVER succeed in your attempts to attain your type of balance.

We're footy supporters.

I’ll leave the last word with you as I think you believe you are alway right so no matter what I say. Continue your negative posting as you obviously believe you know best but I will continue to make my posts based on the results which I hope will continue into this weekend.

That is how a football forum works... it has been decreed.

Must go, busy ordering some spit and sawdust to attach to future posts and Elsie Tanner is pouring my pint of mixed! Lol.

There you go again. Any criticism of your boy Davey is "Negative" as far as you are concerned.

While some express a desire to see a team with a will to win - as opposed to a team with a desire not to lose. You will defend and happy clap the latter until the cows come home. You don't just try to shout down those who want the former. You actually have the temerity to call THEM negative.

"Balance" ??? Are you sure ?

The glass collectors turned up again.

Blue Bill recommends them

But this generalisation takes some beating: "Martinez - FA Cup & relegated, failed at Everton."

Yes Wigan were relegated after beating Manchester City in the 2013 final. A fantastic achievement for the Martinez in a cup run that included a 3-0 defeat of Moyes's Everton 3-0 in the 6th round at Goodison Park.

At Everton, Martinez took us to our highest ever points total in the Premier League, as playing in Europe and reaching the FA Cup and EFL semi-finals in his final season.

But he was a failure at Everton and Moyes is proving a success? That argument is so stretched I can hear the elastic twanging.

You started the pile on against Annika with your post @ 6, which encouraged the usual quarter-wits to join in. 90 odd posts later you are still whining for being called out on it.

For the record, I have NEVER read a post from you being properly critical of Moyes (so much for your "balance" argument).

Just to make sure I have it right.

You consider the fans looking to improve our finishing position and style of play are negative?

My point was that these fellas all won something, but failed to collectively take it forward with a bigger club from outside the Top 6, or indeed their existing clubs.

Very few managers win a trophy outside the 5 or 6 top clubs, and very few if any of those can translate that into a club like ours, and deliver success over the last 10-, 20-, 30-year period.

The calls on any manager at Everton underplay the scale of the job at hand. Howe and Emery are possibly the exceptions. But I see few that are truly troubling the top clubs.

I'll leave it with others to decide if Martinez was a success or not. And why it went bad so soon after those trophy successes for the managers listed.

It struck me as odd and sad that no one could buck the trend.

Darren @90 & 91, I just have a different opinion to you which seems to be of a more positive disposition.

Steve @95. Pile on and quarter wits, that doesn't leave much room for debate if they disagree with you.

As for criticism of Moyes, here is some:

Sort out our defensive frailties on corners. I fear tomorrow's game where Arsenal seem to have perfected this and Frank exposed it.

Sort out our own corner strategy and not end up like the farcical situation we had v Man Utd.

Sort out he home form... and finally make substitutions earlier in the game.

John @97. Just to clarify, and as I said many times previously, firstly a team must win, even if it is ugly. Yes, I would love to see us playing open attacking football as well but I don't think we have the squad to do that just yet.

My most recent live match was the Sunderland FA Cup game and, even though they had a bucket full of players at Afcon, they played rings around us. We got a very fortunate penalty call to even get a draw.

When we do try to play open attacking football, we seem to end up being caught by a breakaway goal sucker punch, eg, Man U, Brentford etc.

For the moment, my view is we try and make the best of what we've got. Here, there are differing opinions as to who should play and what format. Here, we all have the luxury of playing fantasy football without any of the consequences when it doesn't work... plus plenty of 20:20 hindsight vision.

Hope that clarifies my position to which I am sure I am entitled.

You never answered my question.

For clarity, I do not consider the fans looking to improve our finishing position and style of play as negative?

Not sure, however, how you came to that conclusion.

Thanks for your reply.

It's not your position or your opinion which drew the responses. It's your hypocrisy.

You want an opinion, but you don't want Annika (or anyone else who criticises Mr Brightside) to have one. It doesn't get any more negative than that.

Roll on tomorrow! COYB

I have had many a debate or argument on here about Moyes. I would always put up a counter-argument to something I disagree with. If I didn't have a counter-argument, I wouldn't challenge the point in the first place. I like to argue too much to ever sink as low as calling for the other guy to be silenced.

You, on the other hand, spread yourself over thread after thread trying to silence posts from people who don't kneel at the alter of St David -- see above. That's because you don't have a counter-argument.

Most people on here have the courage of their convictions. You don't. You even deny being a partisan Moyes supporter when called out.

You fool nobody except maybe yourself.

Your depiction of the careers of these managers after winning a trophy is a complete generalisation. You were also very careful not to mention their careers before, so you can give the impression that the trophy win was a one-off (and therefore had an element of luck).

Let's look at your list of “failures”:

Alec McLeish - had already won the Scottish Premier League twice, Scottish Cup twice and Scottish League Cup twice before he guided Birmingham City to the League Cup (and promotion).

Juande Ramos - won the Spanish Cup, Spanish Super-Cup and 2 Uefa Cups with Sevilla before winning the League Cup with Spurs.

Harry Redknapp - won the Intertoto Cup with West Ham and the First Division title and FA Cup with Portsmouth. He reached the League Cup final in 2009 with Spurs. His win ratio at Spurs was 49.8% and his team finished 4th, 5th, 4th and 8th in his four seasons there.

Brendan Rodgers - won 2 Scottish Premier League titles, the Scottish Cup and the Scottish League Cup after guiding Leicester to the FA Cup and Charity Shield in 2021.

Roberto Martinez - managed Belgium to the World Cup semi-final in 2018 and Portugal to the Uefa Nations League in 2025 after winning the FA Cup with Wigan.

Oliver Glasner - Won the Europa League and Super Cup with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022 before winning the FA Cup and Charity Shield with Palace. The Eagles are still in the Uefa Conference League this season.

Eddie Howe - Has a win ratio of 49.3% with Newcastle, who he led to the League Cup last season. They are currently in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Steve McClaren - took Middlesbrough to the Uefa Cup Final in 2006 after winning the League Cup with the same club.

Some failure that.

1) Sort out our defensive frailties on corners.
2) Sort out our own corner strategy.
3) Sort out the home form.
4) Make substitutions earlier in the game.

Look forward to you agreeing with posters who raise them if they are repeated this season.

Hopefully we can get a similar boss who can fail his way to a trophy for us.