I got absolutely slaughtered on here for my response to the corresponding fixture earlier in the season when we squeaked out a backs to the wall performance by hanging on for dear life for an hour after taking the lead. I criticised Moyes for instilling fear in the team and showing too much respect to a side who haven't yet earned it, and who had already shown they were vulnerable to a side pressing them.
Today, the result was the same, but it was a complete reversal of our performance at Eastlands.
In the away game, we started strong, scored, then sat back like scared children for the rest of the game and got away with it.
Today, we started the game like scared children, they scored, then we got at them for the rest of the game and scored twice, taking the win.
It shows the attitude of Moyes. If we score and lead at half time, he motivates the team to sit back and defend at all costs. If we're down at half time, he motivates the team to press on and give it a go.
The former is the wrong attitude, in my opinion. If Everton had attacked from the off, we might have won the game very convincingly today. Or, we might have conceded a goal, but we'd have been in the same position as with the defensive mindset.
I hope beyond hope that, after another example of what a positive Everton team can do against any side in this division, that David Moyes has learned his lesson. We're not Blackpool. We can afford to attack teams without the fear of being done over constantly on the break, as we have a dramatically better squad than Blackpool.
Moyes needs to have faith in his players that they can go out and get the job done. 1-0 up against Chelsea in the final, perhaps we'd have gone on and won it if he had that mindset.
He's still learning as a manager by his own admission, and hopefully he learned today.
Today, the result was the same, but it was a complete reversal of our performance at Eastlands.
In the away game, we started strong, scored, then sat back like scared children for the rest of the game and got away with it.
Today, we started the game like scared children, they scored, then we got at them for the rest of the game and scored twice, taking the win.
It shows the attitude of Moyes. If we score and lead at half time, he motivates the team to sit back and defend at all costs. If we're down at half time, he motivates the team to press on and give it a go.
The former is the wrong attitude, in my opinion. If Everton had attacked from the off, we might have won the game very convincingly today. Or, we might have conceded a goal, but we'd have been in the same position as with the defensive mindset.
I hope beyond hope that, after another example of what a positive Everton team can do against any side in this division, that David Moyes has learned his lesson. We're not Blackpool. We can afford to attack teams without the fear of being done over constantly on the break, as we have a dramatically better squad than Blackpool.
Moyes needs to have faith in his players that they can go out and get the job done. 1-0 up against Chelsea in the final, perhaps we'd have gone on and won it if he had that mindset.
He's still learning as a manager by his own admission, and hopefully he learned today.
