2025/26 David Moyes

[JobForTheMoyes]

Jake, the guy Moyes literally brought in from the cold, isn’t one of his favourites?

If anything, he’s grooming him like Lescott, playing him out wide as part of a longer-term plan.

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

Jakey boy - not a right back
Armstrong - not a right winger
KDH - not a number 10

If you have a fully fit team there should not be 3 players shoe horned into positions they are do not usually occupy. It's part of the reason I think that Brighton and Fulham were eye wateringly bad first half performances. Once subs were made and the team was better balanced it improved massively.

Jakey boy is our best right back.
Armstrong agreed but Dibling isn't trusted to start, particularly away from home.
KDH better deeper but not crazy to play him as the 10 because he's probably our best 10.

You're acting like we have a balanced squad with good players available for every position. We don't.

 

[John from Bootle]

Of course it’s not the minimum expectation, but the opportunity is there partly thanks to Moyes raising the standards of the club, but now the opportunity is there I’d like to see us be as bold as possible and go and grab it if we can.

It can be a double edged sword though. The home form indicates that we're not at the stage yet where we can be a really attacking team. To his credit, he's tried to be more expansive at home, but it's not translated in to results. I think getting Branthwaite fully up to speed will help in that regard though.

 

[DualityNSNO]

Please provide examples.

Any examples?

Baines sticks out easily, Heitinga too. Cba going down the line to check again because last time I did it was too wordy and ignored/made fun of so this is as good as you get

 

[Victus]

Talking about having to win a few games we’re not expected to win in the run in

Needs to knock all that on the head, i get what he’s saying but this is close to Moshiri’s expected losses again. It’s just assuming inferiority before a ball has been kicked.

Nothing I said was wrong in my quote though?

 

[John from Bootle]

Baines sticks out easily, Heitinga too. Cba going down the line to check again because last time I did it was too wordy and ignored/made fun of so this is as good as you get

Err, Baines never made less than 22 PL appearances under Moyes and those 22 PL appearances came in his first season here. After that, he never made less than 30. Heitinga made 115 PL appearances in 4 seasons.

Not really great examples these mate.

 

[Lanolin]

They are not the best players for the position you really think Michael calamity Keane is better than Jake at centerback? His frequent selection of Dwight McNeil has been a detriment to our performances numerous times so maybe he shouldn't pick his favorites?

The idea that McNeil is a Moyes favourite is really bizarre. He didn't start a game until Christmas, he got a few games while we were down to the bare bones (and got dragged off at half time in two of them) and was then dropped again, before his sale was sanctioned. People making out like he's a favourite but someone like O'Brien isn't despite him playing almost every game is incredible mental gymnastics.

 

[wandyr79]

It’s this exact mindset that stops us ever getting over the line.

We should try and win every game, no matter who the opposition is. Of course we won’t win all of them but if you start publicly separating fixtures into those you are and aren’t expecting to win then you’re already in the wrong mindset as a club.

The past is gone, from the moment of the takeover, we should be in an optimistic mood to get the max possible from the season now. No Europe, most of the teams around us have it, no cup games, we should be saying we’re going all out to try and win every game we play and see where it gets us. Instead we’re playing down expectations (for what purpose?) by talking about getting away from relegation in most interviews and games we’re not expected to win.

Clearly your expectations are being managed quite easily though so I suppose it does work.

I am in an optimistic mood, are you?

It does not seem that you are too optimistic and are taking what Moyes says publicly at face value. Unless you are in all meetings with the team, on the training pitch or in the dressing rooms then you really cannot say that he is lowering expectations with the most important people involved, the players.

 

[wandyr79]

Jake, the guy Moyes literally brought in from the cold, isn’t one of his favourites?

If anything, he’s grooming him like Lescott, playing him out wide as part of a longer-term plan.

I saw recently that he came out and said that he is learning a lot more about the game and using it to improve his all round game. He will moved to CB permanently, just like Lescott was, when Moyes feels it is time to do so.

I think it should be now, but am willing to be patient on the matter.

 

[Saint Domingo]

I am in an optimistic mood, are you?

It does not seem that you are too optimistic and are taking what Moyes says publicly at face value. Unless you are in all meetings with the team, on the training pitch or in the dressing rooms then you really cannot say that he is lowering expectations with the most important people involved, the players.

Are the wider stakeholders not also important? He’s the most important figurehead at the club, he doesn’t need to be talking about games we’re not expected to win.

 

[wandyr79]

Are the wider stakeholders not also important? He’s the most important figurehead at the club, he doesn’t need to be talking about games we’re not expected to win.

Again, what is he saying to them privately?

No, the most important people to take on board the managers ambition is the players. They are the ones that need to know what the manager wants from them, where the manager wants to take them as a group.

All the rest is just politics.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Again, what is he saying to them privately?

No, the most important people to take on board the managers ambition is the players. They are the ones that need to know what the manager wants from them, where the manager wants to take them as a group.

All the rest is just politics.

We disagree. I think the public figurehead of a club with the stature of Everton shouldn’t be talking about avoiding relegation when we’re 14 points clear of it and shouldn’t be separating fixtures into those we are and aren’t experts to win. Regardless of what he’s saying in private.

 

[Efcjake]

It’s this exact mindset that stops us ever getting over the line.

Fairly sure it's actually because a lot of other teams have better squads than us but alright.

 

[wandyr79]

We disagree. I think the public figurehead of a club with the stature of Everton shouldn’t be talking about avoiding relegation when we’re 14 points clear of it and shouldn’t be separating fixtures into those we are and aren’t experts to win. Regardless of what he’s saying in private.

Fair enough, however, I will still take it with a pinch of salt. As said, I think it si all politicsw and worthless as a fan, so I don't watch the press conferences.

I will ask one question though, as I have not seen it confirmed. Was this Moyes just saying it, like an opening/closing monologue, an unrelated answer, or was there a related question that prompted him to talk about it?

 

[Efcjake]

They prefer 'Look. LOOK. He said relegation'

I watched the press conference to see what got them so riled up and it's the journos bringing the focus to it with their questions to show how much we've kicked on.

He was consistent saying how he had wanted to change the conversation from that to talking about looking to Europe and it seems to be going in that direction.