Everton in trouble...?!?

Yea yea, Everton conceded the goal in the last minute. Lost 2 points. Below are the culprits based on all the comments I read:

1. Players not scoring with their chances...
2. Moyes losing his plot with the useless substitution in the 92nd minute...
3. Howler Howard is back...(Sorry Tim, that is a nickname I gave you when you're at Man U)
4. Everton is in danger of missing out of Europe...

Point 1 is mine, Point 3 is shared among some fans. I barely agree with Point 2 and am totally bemused by Point 4. Really? All this from 90 minutes? When is Everton a perennial European team? Since we reached UCL? Since we finished in the top 6 for 3 consecutive years? If not, when?

I have watched the team since 1990. I was 11 at the END of 1990, when they are under a boatload of debt and going nowhere. All the kids are rooting for Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and even flash-in-the-pan Blackburn. Why did I pick them? From the Shoot and Match magazine! Everton sounds like a nice team, grit and good history. My favorite mug is the one signed by the 1995 FA Cup winning team. And after some great work by Moyes, he is at the end of the road now? Seriously? Did the fans just joined when we won against Man U this year?

Yea, Moyes messed up. He should have stepped up the pressure for more goals by putting in Gueye, Velios or Barkley earlier. Yea, Howard messed up because that goal is quite un-Howard like. Yea, if we lose more points like these we might end up mid table or below. But really, I'm only reeling from the fact that we are not converting our chances enough. But to be so negative after 2 bad games is ridiculous! Heck, the only thing I will worry about is when we have 4 points from a 10 game stretch. Oh, that was QPR...

Do you know that THIS YEAR, we are leading the league by shots per game, second by shots on target. Hey, I didn't know Everton attack that much...why are we so poor last year? Oh, and the year before...And the year before that? We gained 6% points in possession time against last year. And we are a bad passing team for the last decade! So naysayers are out in force because we dropped 2 points against Norwich? Or the 3 against Reading? Why didn't Man U go bankrupt after their loss last week to 'lowly' Norwich? Or Mancini sacked for being knocked out of UCL? Oh by the way, we're still top 6 in shots conceded. Why is this stat important? Because that means Howler Howard will not have that many chances to create Howlers at least! And I still have faith that he will bounce back from here!

But to say I'm not disappointed would be false. Things I think we should improve on can make us really strong. I'm not sure if we'll win UCL but hey, I'm looking one game at a time. Ok, maybe the occasional seasonal planning... 

1. Dial Coleman or Baines or Heitinga back from attack slightly to shore up possession and strengthen defense, OR put an extra pacey defender in the middle
2. Play Management. While we're better in attacking, more possession and shots, we did not improve as much in passing efficiency. I rather we pass the ball into the net than hope for the smash to go in.
3. Game Plan. 2 parts to this item. Stop tinkering yet flexible!
1. Moyes should be more flexible. A great coach and manager off the field but he does not finish fixture sometimes, either by changing the plan due to an adverse event or to double up and finish the game off. I wished he was more gung-ho against Norwich and Reading and piled possession against them while holding a steady back line, but hey, maybe no one said these to him. I WILL NOW!
2. Playing the team/formation best fit based on what's available. Moyes has been great dealing with a small squad but there are times I feel that the 18 named for the game is not always positioned optimally. It's my hunch. Could be wrong. Subs need to conform to a plan.
4. Rest players often. I know its a small squad but do we need to play the first team against Leyton Orient? What was the next game's result? And as much as I like trophies, cup games are better games to test fringe players and tactics than league games...
5. Sometimes the best defence is to no give away the ball...Even if that means not shooting!
6. My personal favorite...And a long time since I looked at the players we got and just putting them into a Championship Manager formation. If you feel this formation is familiar, I have been championing it since I started playing the computer game. (Sorry, picture is blur)

I preferred 3-5-2, with 1-2 defensive midfielders with wingers moving from center midfield outward and wingbacks covering either the entire lane or moving inwards when supporting attack. And my setting for the style of play? Gung-ho. Passing. Shredding defences with Mirallas, Oviedo, Baines, Pienaar and Coleman. I don't mind the Hammer, Baines or our great Afrohead putting a few shots to open up defences once in a while.

I know, I know, we don't have money, or the players, or whatever. How can we have such high expectations when we're not supposed to dream? And are you sure we don't have the team to succeed now? I remember that I was laughed at, though not horribly, when I said Everton can reach UCL in 2003, right when we're halfway to team building and fighting relegation. Too bad I cannot find my comment/prediction on the Everton forum anymore...

Finally, I need to say I am amazed by the work Moyes done so far. It would be great if we can keep our star players because they have a better chance to grow and succeed here, rather than be a second thought elsewhere or under perform, and we'll succeed too. And am I upset we didn't win (or even lose last week)? Yea, but I will forget it by Sunday, or worst case, Monday. Why? Because we are improving! And heck, even if West Ham smashes Tottenham tomorrow, we are still top 6 for now! Look to win the next game and next game only! Hey, unless we actually fall below 15th (ok, my patience is probably 12th but I have been known to err on the side of stability), I can see Moyes being my manager of choice for a long time.

On a second thought, I am afraid we keep conceding goals. Wait, we are scoring much more goals than we used to, aren't we? And am I afraid of the next 3 games? Sure. My expectation is 0 points since we finished 5th-8th or the last 6 years. Anything more than 3 points is great! And remember our record against Arsenal...Next stop, Arsenal...Maybe we should park the bus...I hope not!