If you wanted a case study on how to let a tired opponent off the hook, look no further than today’s 2-2 draw at Selhurst Park. Facing a Palace side likely still nursing hangovers from their midweek European heroics, Everton once again showed the tactical flexibility of a lamp post.
Another dreadful result from a winning position effectively kills any lingering European pipe dreams.
The Moyesiah's Mid-Table Mediocrity
Let’s be real: Palace were there for the taking. They’ve played a ridiculous amount of football lately, and we had a week to prepare. Instead of going for the jugular, we sat back after Tarkowski’s early opener and invited them onto us.
The second half was even worse. Despite Beto putting us back in front, the inevitability of the equalizer from Everton tormentor-in-chief Jean-Phillipe Mateta felt like a slow-motion car crash.
We lacked any "dogs of war" mentality to see it out, and the substitutions — or lack thereof — were vintage David Moyes: too little, too late, and too ineffective.
Player Ratings:
| Player | Rating | The Verdict |
| Jordan Pickford | 7 | Kept us in it with five saves. Can’t blame him for the defence treating the penalty area like a gift shop. |
| James Tarkowski | 6 | Scored a great header, but looked leaden-footed against Sarr. The leader of a backline that has forgotten how to keep a clean sheet. |
| Jake O’Brien | 5 | Still looks like he’s learning on the job. Nervous on the ball and struggled with Palace’s movement. |
| Michael Keane | 4 | At this point, his inclusion is a social experiment. Zero tackles won. Zero presence. The ghost of defending past. |
| Vitalii Mykolenko | 5 | Booked early and played like he was walking on eggshells. Offers nothing going forward lately. |
| Tim Iroegbunam | 6 | Put in a shift, but he’s being asked to do the work of three men while the veterans around him spectate. |
| James Garner | 5 | A passenger for large spells. Needs to stop pointing and start playing. Yellow card was avoidable. |
| Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall | 5 | Supposed to be the creative spark, but the spark plug is fouled. Looked tired by the hour mark. |
| Merlin Röhl | 6 | Some bright sparks again, but clearly not a natural winger. Moyes is going to ruin his confidence playing him out of position. |
| Iliman Ndiaye | 6 | The only player who looks like he’s enjoyed a football in his life. Sadly, no one is on his wavelength. |
| Beto | 7 | Took his goal well and actually put himself about. Deserves better service than hopeful punts. |
Subs: Thierno Barry (N/A), Tyrique George (N/A), Charly Alcaraz (N/A). Too little, too late..
The Moyesiah Complex
The narrative will be "it's a tough place to go" and "Palace are a good side." The reality is we are 10th and drifting. Without Grealish and Branthwaite, the lack of depth and tactical imagination is glaring. We had the fresh legs and the lead twice, yet we settled for a point as if we were fighting relegation.
If this was the "final effort" for Europe, it was a whimper, not a bang. We’re safe, but Moyes is so godamn boring. I really don't feel like giving him any points.
Reader Comments (9)
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3 Posted 10/05/2026 at 16:41:18
We were overrun at times by a team that played a match on Thursday night, we looked knackered and Moyes reluctance to give games to the likes of George, Aznou, Dibling and the same old tired central defenders at fullbacks like O'Brien which should have been binned last May.
Ndiaye was poor, good footwork, no end product, the old all fart no shit phrase comes to mind.
Dewsbury-Hall was disappointing today and should have killed the game off at 1-0 up.
The Moyes obsession with the Barry for Beto sub is not needed, Beto was fine he was playing well, yet Moyes subs him off and again especially not for the first time away from home, we lose all the impetus fast, ball not sticking.
Another poor season lost and barely any progress made.
4 Posted 10/05/2026 at 16:50:35
And Moyes gets a 3 for selecting Tarkowski and Keane again as the centre-back pairing.
Tarkowski’s defending when Mateta almost won the game in injury time should have come wth a laughter track.
5 Posted 10/05/2026 at 16:56:42
I’d give him 3.
And I go along with Michael regarding Moyes. Palace have played 56 competitive matches this season compared to our 39, yet he is unwilling or unable to raise our game against them.
6 Posted 10/05/2026 at 16:58:51
The midfield coughed possession to easily.
The attack couldn't take their chances.
Subs had zero impact.
Keane & Tarkowski zero. Finger pointing at each other, when a striker pulled off them.
Criminal defending again.
7 Posted 10/05/2026 at 17:01:43
Sick to my back teeth of him, and let's face it this morose bore will be here next season for his 13th as Everton manager.
8 Posted 10/05/2026 at 17:13:51
Tarkowski and Keane have been good servants but they cost us games, time and again.
Fed up of seeing Barry ambling around, often sulking.
You knew we needed a 2 goal cushion, at least. In the end, I think we were lucky to take a point. Mateta offered them something. Our subs didn’t.
We’re not ready for Europe. We’d be in a relegation dogfight if we were playing on Thursdays.
9 Posted 10/05/2026 at 17:15:53
10 Posted 10/05/2026 at 17:22:36
We'll struggle to beat Sunderland, they are a decent side and will see it as a chance to finish above us, in the main we've been pretty much inept at home most of the season, I can't see next Sunday being a great deal different.
Then it's away to Spurs where we'll no doubt make them look like Real Madrid as we usually do when we travel down there.
All in all it's been a disappointing ending to a season that around New Year promised better than it's given, coupled with two crappy early round Cup exits, just feels as though not much has changed again.
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2 Posted 10/05/2026 at 16:39:39
We had enough to win this game, Just typical of us.