2025/26 David Moyes

[Rita_Poon]

His honesty is refreshing, also doesn't labour with a 'woe is me attitude', don't like the crap interviewer, about as assertive as a wet kleenex.
Also, woke up second half at anfield, tried our hardest to crap the bed second half vs wolves, should have been buried 3 or 4 nil to brighton after that first half. I can't think of anything to explain it, we're a quarter of the season in, so fitness has to be something like, we can't be carrying that many knocks or injuries, is it flu or covid? are they going out boozing the night before a game?
I keep finding my way back to the loss of Doucoure, did he set the tone, all the running all the hustle? Was he the standard bearer that the rest of the side looked to to lead the charge? It's not magic, there's got to be a reason.

 

[Lanolin]

But isn't moaning just repeating the same old same old? hence insanity?

These circular patterns don't really achieve much.

There is a problem no one has gotten onto as yet. Why can we only play for about 45 minutes. We either play a blinder first half and go off a cliff second, or, start the game in reverse gear then wake up second half. Jekyll and Hyde (snide?) aura about the team. Can't follow any rhyme or reason to it. But it's becoming noticeable.

I'm not sure i'd put it as polar as blinder/off a cliff personally, or say that they're 45 minute spells. It's definitely fair to say we haven't had a good 90 minutes yet, but there have been a fair few games where the level has been relatively consistent (just not actually good) for 90 minutes and other games where we've just had fairly short spells of looking good in between some rubbish. In some cases it can be explained to some extent by circumstances - Palace at home for example was basically because we were behind and started doing everything more quickly, the crowd got up for it etc - and in other games it seems to be a lack of tactical changes to wrestle back the initiative once we've lost it. Last night for example we were good for half an hour but then they got on top and we just didn't really do anything to change the way the game was going, we just sort of hoped that it would swing back in our favour without actually doing anything proactive to make that happen.

 

[JLW]

But isn't moaning just repeating the same old same old? hence insanity?

These circular patterns don't really achieve much.

There is a problem no one has gotten onto as yet. Why can we only play for about 45 minutes. We either play a blinder first half and go off a cliff second, or, start the game in reverse gear then wake up second half. Jekyll and Hyde (snide?) aura about the team. Can't follow any rhyme or reason to it. But it's becoming noticeable.

Someone pointed that out last night and yeah its the same pattern all season.

Does this problem stem from the manager or the players? i would say that's on the manager.

 

[mikel_88]

This is the Moyes I was expecting in Jan - dour, predictable, percentage football.

Somehow he energised the team and did great job to May.

Maybe it was the relief of no more Dyche or new manager bounce.

I don't blame players tbh. They seem completely uninspired by coaching/style of management.

Is both cant give players a pass like last night showed can play good football. Mentality still a problem and well tsking the advantage when on top finishing still a huge problem here, still feel not got the players for his system how wants play esp at fb. But still has players he can change a game here at this moment. Last night felt could have even went tim rohl gana as a mid three. Drop kdh deeper in mod to have alcaraz in the 10 if wanted same formation just wont try it for some reason

 

[Carlito]

I was hoping he might see this second spell as a bit of an unexpected free hit; probably his last crack at a club with money to spend and a chance to get into Europe or win a domestic cup, while having nothing to prove personally after finally breaking his trophy drought at West Ham.

He just can't bring himself to let the shackles off, though. He's never going to change.

Can't see it reaching the point where a mid-season sacking would be necessary, but I think he should be moved on in the summer.

 

[blueboy72]

His honesty is refreshing, also doesn't labour with a 'woe is me attitude', don't like the crap interviewer, about as assertive as a wet kleenex.
Also, woke up second half at anfield, tried our hardest to crap the bed second half vs wolves, should have been buried 3 or 4 nil to brighton after that first half. I can't think of anything to explain it, we're a quarter of the season in, so fitness has to be something like, we can't be carrying that many knocks or injuries, is it flu or covid? are they going out boozing the night before a game?
I keep finding my way back to the loss of Doucoure, did he set the tone, all the running all the hustle? Was he the standard bearer that the rest of the side looked to to lead the charge? It's not magic, there's got to be a reason.

Doucoure Jesus Christ, how desperate can we get. Keeping crap like him means you never move on. Missing a terrible payer like doucoure says more about how
Poor the manager is

 

[Rita_Poon]

I'm not sure i'd put it as polar as blinder/off a cliff personally, or say that they're 45 minute spells. It's definitely fair to say we haven't had a good 90 minutes yet, but there have been a fair few games where the level has been relatively consistent (just not actually good) for 90 minutes and other games where we've just had fairly short spells of looking good in between some rubbish. In some cases it can be explained to some extent by circumstances - Palace at home for example was basically because we were behind and started doing everything more quickly, the crowd got up for it etc - and in other games it seems to be a lack of tactical changes to wrestle back the initiative once we've lost it. Last night for example we were good for half an hour but then they got on top and we just didn't really do anything to change the way the game was going, we just sort of hoped that it would swing back in our favour without actually doing anything proactive to make that happen.

what did Sunderland alter to gain that upper hand? Moyes alluded to the Barry miss knocking the wind out of our sails, we don't seem to be able to concentrate, this mental fatigue throughout the side is becoming more prominent because we sort of just give up, and then collectively look to Grealish and N'diaye to carry the battle solely. It's so weird.

Takes me back to the game at Goodison vs city in the first leg semi I think, we huffed and puffed and eventually got the lead, and we were so drained by the achievement that they couldn't score to equalise fast enough because we were effectively startled and on the ropes completely defenseless.

It's almost like suffering a concussion, the collective mind seems to go blank and the side becomes helpless. Can't place it, it's not that it's bad play, it's not that it's a lack of quality, it's something I can't quite pin down as I can't remember encountering it - especially not with the regularity we are seeing now. To draw a parallel with another sport, cyclists at the tour, blitz one another up the mountains of France, eventually a few end up cracking and cannot continue the fight up the slopes - their will is broken and they accept defeat. What I'm seeing in our team is a collective surrender. Am I hallucinating or dreaming up reality? Has anyone else noticed the 'switch off'?

 

[Rita_Poon]

Doucoure Jesus Christ,

 

[Rob17896]

His honesty is refreshing, also doesn't labour with a 'woe is me attitude', don't like the crap interviewer, about as assertive as a wet kleenex.
Also, woke up second half at anfield, tried our hardest to crap the bed second half vs wolves, should have been buried 3 or 4 nil to brighton after that first half. I can't think of anything to explain it, we're a quarter of the season in, so fitness has to be something like, we can't be carrying that many knocks or injuries, is it flu or covid? are they going out boozing the night before a game?
I keep finding my way back to the loss of Doucoure, did he set the tone, all the running all the hustle? Was he the standard bearer that the rest of the side looked to to lead the charge? It's not magic, there's got to be a reason.

Moyes needs to find a way of stopping being so cautious, use the right subs at the right time and keep the team on the offensive. sick of him.

 

[Saint Domingo]

His honesty is refreshing, also doesn't labour with a 'woe is me attitude', don't like the crap interviewer, about as assertive as a wet kleenex.
Also, woke up second half at anfield, tried our hardest to crap the bed second half vs wolves, should have been buried 3 or 4 nil to brighton after that first half. I can't think of anything to explain it, we're a quarter of the season in, so fitness has to be something like, we can't be carrying that many knocks or injuries, is it flu or covid? are they going out boozing the night before a game?
I keep finding my way back to the loss of Doucoure, did he set the tone, all the running all the hustle? Was he the standard bearer that the rest of the side looked to to lead the charge? It's not magic, there's got to be a reason.

The answer is we have zero pace or power anywhere in the starting 11 so once we drop a tiny bit from our top level we just can’t then take back control of the momentum or flow of the game. The opposition then gets more confident and we retreat further and further. Alcaraz and Iroegbunam changed the game v Palace when we made our pacier subs earlier.

 

[mikel_88]

I was hoping he might see this second spell as a bit of an unexpected free hit; probably his last crack at a club with money to spend and a chance to get into Europe or win a domestic cup, while having nothing to prove personally after finally breaking his trophy drought at West Ham.

He just can't bring himself to let the shackles off, though. He's never going to change.

Can't see it reaching the point where a mid-season sacking would be necessary, but I think he should be moved on in the summer.

Maybe depends on how we finish the season also feel may need another summer window. To make the squad more rounded, we do have see how develops players this season in dibbling ect

 

[Rita_Poon]

Moyes needs to find a way of stopping being so cautious, use the right subs at the right time and keep the team on the offensive. sick of him.

That's the one, you've cracked it, it's genius in it's simplicity, Moyes needs to be perfect.

How has no one fallen over this nugget of wisdom by now?

 

[MikeH72]

His honesty is refreshing, also doesn't labour with a 'woe is me attitude', don't like the crap interviewer, about as assertive as a wet kleenex.
Also, woke up second half at anfield, tried our hardest to crap the bed second half vs wolves, should have been buried 3 or 4 nil to brighton after that first half. I can't think of anything to explain it, we're a quarter of the season in, so fitness has to be something like, we can't be carrying that many knocks or injuries, is it flu or covid? are they going out boozing the night before a game?
I keep finding my way back to the loss of Doucoure, did he set the tone, all the running all the hustle? Was he the standard bearer that the rest of the side looked to to lead the charge? It's not magic, there's got to be a reason.

We were absolute AIDS with Doucoure being the standard bearer too for the record.

 

[Bluerover]

what did Sunderland alter to gain that upper hand? Moyes alluded to the Barry miss knocking the wind out of our sails, we don't seem to be able to concentrate, this mental fatigue throughout the side is becoming more prominent because we sort of just give up, and then collectively look to Grealish and N'diaye to carry the battle solely. It's so weird.

Takes me back to the game at Goodison vs city in the first leg semi I think, we huffed and puffed and eventually got the lead, and we were so drained by the achievement that they couldn't score to equalise fast enough because we were effectively startled and on the ropes completely defenseless.

It's almost like suffering a concussion, the collective mind seems to go blank and the side becomes helpless. Can't place it, it's not that it's bad play, it's not that it's a lack of quality, it's something I can't quite pin down as I can't remember encountering it - especially not with the regularity we are seeing now. To draw a parallel with another sport, cyclists at the tour, blitz one another up the mountains of France, eventually a few end up cracking and cannot continue the fight up the slopes - their will is broken and they accept defeat. What I'm seeing in our team is a collective surrender. Am I hallucinating or dreaming up reality? Has anyone else noticed the 'switch off'?

I don't know if we use a sports psychologist or motivator but very successful teams certainly do.

In GAA the all Ireland winning Limerick and Tipperary teams as well as the 5 in a row Dublin footballers use a sports psychologist.

I understand that Arsenal and Inter Milan also do so.

I agree that successive Everton teams seem to just fold when things go against them. We were fortunate to find just enough at the death of matches to avoid relegation but we should never have been in those positions in the first place.

The mental block away to top teams for so many years needs sorting.

 

[pfim]

what did Sunderland alter to gain that upper hand? Moyes alluded to the Barry miss knocking the wind out of our sails, we don't seem to be able to concentrate, this mental fatigue throughout the side is becoming more prominent because we sort of just give up, and then collectively look to Grealish and N'diaye to carry the battle solely. It's so weird.

Takes me back to the game at Goodison vs city in the first leg semi I think, we huffed and puffed and eventually got the lead, and we were so drained by the achievement that they couldn't score to equalise fast enough because we were effectively startled and on the ropes completely defenseless.

It's almost like suffering a concussion, the collective mind seems to go blank and the side becomes helpless. Can't place it, it's not that it's bad play, it's not that it's a lack of quality, it's something I can't quite pin down as I can't remember encountering it - especially not with the regularity we are seeing now. To draw a parallel with another sport, cyclists at the tour, blitz one another up the mountains of France, eventually a few end up cracking and cannot continue the fight up the slopes - their will is broken and they accept defeat. What I'm seeing in our team is a collective surrender. Am I hallucinating or dreaming up reality? Has anyone else noticed the 'switch off'?

When things aren't going so well in the match, players will revert to what makes them comfortable. When you look at the attacking players, that's a bad thing. Neither striker has any sort of confidence, and KDH would rather sit deeper than attack. It creates a one-dimensional side that invites pressure.