Amidst the despondency that has hung around since the Anfield derby humiliation on Tuesday, I imagine I am supposed to feel that all will be validated if Everton beat Sunderland in Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final.
Well no, not for me. Not good enough Dave. That’s just not acceptable.
The decision to rest key players confesses a lack of belief in the squad’s ability to consistently rise to the occasion; it is a white flag to the demands of a top club.
If the passing of the manager’s decade in charge was not sufficient motivation to go for the throat, then the inevitable ’10 years and you’ve won fuck all’ chants should have been. I thought Moyes would be salivating for this game: the chance to eradicate an unwanted legacy against the enemy at their place, and create the sort of momentum and spirit that defines his success at Everton, leading into a quarter-final.
I can even imagine him sat intensely brooding in a darkened room all week, watching old tapes of Liverpool’s European Cup finals on mute with nothing but a bottle of Scotch and Alex Ferguson’s “knock Liverpool off their fucking perch” quote ringing in his ears.
More pertinently however, Liverpool had lost their last three with Everton losing just two of the last 16 in all competitions.
Mockery of the fans
But instead, Moyes decided to drop four of most influential players (plus Tim Cahill and Phil Neville) from the weekend’s uplifting home win against Tottenham, and in so doing, devalue one of world football’s most intense rivalries; he made a mockery of the fans who had paid to go and watch. It beggars belief and my fear is that it will stick long in the mind.
Everton’s success under Moyes has been characterized by gutsy, cohesive performances against the Premier League’s richer, more talented teams. The club’s failure to enter the elite is due to the infrequency of those games.
Now of course money comes into it, but when you consider that a win would have taken Everton above Liverpool, I really don’t think competing is beyond our current means, especially when you consider that we didn’t turn up for the first half of the season.
Admittedly, Everton’s fixture list for March is tough – seven games including consecutive matches against Tottenham, Liverpool, Sunderland and Arsenal – and of course, squad rotation is essential to modern football.
But to have pinpointed the derby, and such an important one, as a losaeble game is frankly un-Moyes-like in its gutlessness. Call me a fantasist but I don’t think aiming to win all four was out of our reach. Yes I am incredibly biased, and still unsettled by that numbing performance, but let me give my claim some depth…
In 2009, when Everton reached the FA Cup final, we played Liverpool three times in 16 days, with games against Arsenal and Manchester United sandwiched in between.Of those five, we lost only once to a bloody Cristiano Ronaldo penalty, and if Leon Osman, Tim Cahill and Phil Neville had started the game on Tuesday – which they well may have – Everton would have fielded nine of the 11 players who started the majority of those games.
Surrender
Three years down the line, how can you throw in the towel without accepting you’ve gone backwards? How can you interpret surrender as anything other than admission of inferiority?
The spirit that galvanises Everton was cultivated in atmospheres like 2009 and Tuesday at Anfield. To deny fans the unique pride, dedication and passion we have come to expect, denies the very nature of Everton Football Club.
Now just to position myself definitively: I am a huge Moyes fan, and nothing will ever sway me from that. He has done too much good to ever become bad in my eyes. But after the galling shambles that was the start of the season, and now our fleeting source of optimism – our recent form – sacrificed for a cup tie, there is but one thing to say: we better bloody win.
By Chris Smith
David Moyes has shown his true self here. It is not one that is particularly likeable. For 10 years he has ridden the coat-tails of Kenwright and neither of them have come up with any solutions for the club and its future. It’s all been about just hanging on in there and is shameful.
Moyes, always devoid of tactical nous, has now shown what a poor understanding he has of what it means to be ‘blue’. He has betrayed decades of legacy and caring for what? – a chance of beating Sunderland in the cup!!! FFS. If I were chairman, Moyes would have been sacked immediately after the match, sacked in the dressing room, loudly, with everyone looking on agast, sacked never to darken the doors of Goodison again. This man is a traitor.
I wouldn’t say Everton have been hanging in there under Moyes. He was brought in to save us from relegation and we have finished in the top six four times, fourth once. We’ve got much better players, had brilliant results, and if he had left at any point, we would be doomed.
that’s very funny ed – can’t stop laughing …..
much better players — than who/ when????
brilliant results — when/ against whom – top 4 away anytime??????
if he left – we ‘d be doomed – where’s the evidence for that piece of hyperbole?????
Moyes is a traitor and should be sacked but won’t be because Kenwright uses him as a shiedl,and they’re joined at the hip.
Still, I’m not wasting anmore of my time on any of your superstitious nonsense.
Starting line-up against Fulham in Moyes’ first game: Simonsen, Hibbert, Weir, Stubbs, Pistone, Gemmill, Gravesen, Carsley, Unsworth, Ferguson, Radzinski
Starting line-up against Spurs last week: Howard, Neville, Baines, Heitinga, Distin, Osman, Fellaini, Drenthe, Coleman, Cahill, Jelavic.
What do you mean ‘where’s the evidence for that piece of hyperbole’? It hasn’t happened yet! How could there be any evidence? You can’t have evidence for a hypothetical. And it’s not hyperbole either; hyperbole is more akin to using a minimum of four question marks after everything you say, so maybe you should keep an eye on that.
Also, a tip: if you are going to accuse someone of being suspicious, don’t do it the sentence after you have accused somebody else of using a third person as a shield. It sort of ruins the point.
100% right Chris, this will prove to be the turning point for Moyes with the long suffering Everton fans. He has completely screwed up and I for one have now concluded it would best all round if he moved on. He has done a great job, he has many good attributes but there in no winning DNA in his whole body. He lacks the mindset that winners have and I don’t think for one moment that will change if he suddenly finds himself with a huge transfer pot.
I also think that combined with his fat salary and his cosy relationship Kim Yong Bill means he far less likely to move on to the Chelseas or Spurs of this world, he is happy enough with his nearly man status and comfortable lifestyle.
Paul, I take your point regarding long-suffering fans but I don’t want to see the back of Moyes at all. Not in the slightest. For me, Moyes is a great manager who made a big mistake. I expect him to put it right. But to contemplate getting rid of him is nonsensical. Look at Blackburn, look at Wolves, look at QPR, look at Chelsea. The perils of sacking the manager are clear for all to see.
And as for this ‘cosy relationship’ you hint at with Kenwright, what’s wrong with that? Isn’t that good?
[...] if anyone read my David Moyes article from earlier this week, you will know my feelings on this on already, but just to recap: Everton [...]