RELEGATION NO MORE: WHY MOYES SAYS EVERTON IS TOO BIG FOR BOTTOM BATTLES
Everton’s home form is in crisis! Read about David Moyes’ tactical dilemma, the Jake O'Brien red card, and the youth push today.
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So, what's the plan for David Moyes and Everton?
Do they play it safe, park the bus, and look for counter-attacks, both home and away? Or do they start building for what's next? That could mean giving Tyler Dibling a shot and trying out Jarrad Branthwaite and Jake O’Brien as the centre-back pairing.
Could Harrison Armstrong find a place in the middle? Should they focus on letting these guys play together and forget about this season?
Right now, their home games aren't paying off. David Moyes wants the best possible finish, but some tough home games are coming up against the big teams.
It kicks off next Monday against a Manchester United team that's turned things around. It's easy to get motivated for these games, but can they do it every week?
It's frustrating because after the Bournemouth game, it was another what-if moment at home. Sure, they had chances to seal the deal, but why does this keep happening?
It's just another chance gone. You see it in both the League Cup and the FA Cup.
From my experience as a player, it feels like it comes down to the players' mentality. When they went down to 10 men, they showed they have the fight, the intensity, and the will to do it.
You see glimpses of it at Goodison Park, but maybe only four or five times a season when it really counts. They can flip the switch when the pressure is on.
Again, the problem is keeping that level up. Why can't they do that all the time?
Their away form has been great since David Moyes came back. They didn't play great against Fulham, but they got the win, and that's the main thing.
If 50,000 Everton fans had seen 11 home wins, things would probably feel better than they do now, with just the 3,000 or so who travel the country seeing all those good results. Everyone hoped for the top 10, but nobody expected it.
They can step up against better teams or when it matters, but it's always one step forward, two steps back. If you want to achieve anything in your career, you have to be steady.
The best teams can have bad games, but they still find ways to win because they know how to grind out results. I've seen it at Rangers and PSV – winning is everything, and while winning well is nice, getting those three points or getting through to the next round is what really matters.
Getting ready for the Old Firm game was easy, and getting ready for Ajax with PSV was easy, but could you do the job against the other teams?
David Moyes, the owners, and the club need to figure out how to become more clinical. This team has to get back to that winning mindset.
Even though I'm happy with where they are, I keep thinking, 'What if?' I don't care if Newcastle or Tottenham are struggling; I'm thinking about Everton, and this is a chance they didn't see coming, so they need to take it.
Fans are leaving Goodison Park disappointed, wondering why they can't get that performance together. You could tell David Moyes was really down after the Bournemouth game; it was probably the most frustrated I've seen him since he came back. He seemed really annoyed in his press conference.
He's got to take responsibility because he's the manager, and he's getting paid to sort this out. They're really struggling against teams that make a lot of subs and have full-backs that push forward.
The full-back situation is holding them back. Jake O'Brien has been great, but his sending off reminded me of when Jarrad Branthwaite first came in and got caught out against Brentford. It was waiting to happen because it's not Jake's natural position, and he got exposed.
But they also made things worse, and the game slipped away in nine crazy minutes. Bournemouth didn't want to be there on a cold Tuesday night and were wasting time from the start. They would have been happy with a draw, but Everton let them back in.
They got punished for playing it safe instead of pushing for a second goal. What if they'd actually gone with two strikers instead of bringing on Michael Keane and sticking him up front with a minute left?
Everton can't give up fighting for fair treatment from referees.
I think David Moyes has stopped trying to pressure referees, but you can't give up.
I was watching Manchester City against Fulham, and even though the ref didn't see Kenny Tete pull Antoine Semenyo's hair, VAR did. They checked it, but didn't do anything.
That's the opposite of what PGMOL chief Howard Webb said on Sky Sports. He said Michael Keane's sending off was the right call, and it would be the same next week.
But that's not what happened, and it confuses Everton fans. I've heard that Webb has been visiting clubs, including Everton, telling them about how many decisions they're getting right.
But it's not 100%. If you have VAR, it should be 100% right because you can watch incidents back from all angles.
Everyone knows referees and their assistants can make mistakes, but the people at Stockley Park shouldn't. They have everything they need to get every decision right.
The people on VAR duty are basically re-refereeing games when they shouldn't be, and they're not consistent, whether it's the hair-pull or other incidents. In that same City v Fulham game, Phil Foden made a bad challenge and got away with it, but Everton players like Phil Jagielka and Allan have been sent off for challenges that weren't nearly as bad and got suspensions.
Then, this weekend, the FA Cup games didn't have VAR, and a lot of the refs couldn't make the right calls. I think the standard of refereeing in this country is really bad, and they're not helping themselves.
People like Webb and other former referees go on TV and try to defend their colleagues by coming up with new ways to explain things, but it annoys me and other fans.
They talk about Everton firsts, but unlike a lot of Goodison Park's proud records, these haven't been good. Forget Keane and the hair-pull; back in 2017, Oumar Niasse was the first player to get a retrospective ban for supposedly trying to trick a ref, but I can't remember too many more like that.
NICKY BUTT BACKS JAMES GARNER FOR "STUNNING" MANCHESTER UNITED RETURN THIS SUMMER
James Garner shines for England as Nicky Butt backs the Everton man for a Manchester United homecoming in 2026.
Nicky Butt wants Manchester United to bring James Garner back to Old Trafford after Garner’s standout season at Everton. He came up through United’s academy and then went out on loan at Watford and Forest. Four years back, he moved to Everton for £15 million. Now, he’s become a crucial player in David Moyes’ lineup, picking up eight goal contributions as Everton fights for a European spot.
Garner’s club performances earned him his first England call-up last month. He played in both games against Uruguay and Japan, and England manager Thomas Tuchel praised him afterwards.
United’s midfield needs a shakeup, especially with Casemiro on his way out. Butt knows United are looking for new options, and he can picture Garner wearing red again, even if a summer move would be tricky. Liverpool’s interested too, so it’s not a straightforward deal.
Butt talked to Paddy Power about Garner and said, “I don’t see why he couldn’t be back at United. He’s doing well for a big club that expects a lot week in, week out. He knows United, and he’s showing everyone what he can do right now. He just needs to keep it up next season. It’s probably a little early for United to splash big cash, but I’m confident he’s got what it takes.”
Butt helped guide Garner during his time at United’s academy. He admits Garner wasn't quite ready back then, but moving on gave him the chance to kick-start his career. Butt compares him to himself, not the flashiest player, but with relentless drive and desire.
After England’s disappointing results against Uruguay and Japan, Tuchel’s final World Cup squad is facing extra scrutiny. Butt can’t imagine Garner missing out. “He’s been phenomenal this season and has done himself a huge favour. He’s got it all: the passing, the tackling, the defending, the sprinting. He reminds me of a less polished Gerrard, maybe not as good, but he has that same energy and versatility. He’ll definitely be on the plane.”
And with Manchester United’s recent strong run under Michael Carrick, the big question is whether the club should make him the permanent manager. If they keep playing like this, it’s hard to argue against giving him the job.
ALAN SHEARER WARNS DE ZERBI'S "FIVE-YEAR" DEAL CONTAINS HIDDEN EXIT CLAUSES
Alan Shearer reacts to Roberto De Zerbi joining Tottenham on a five-year deal amidst a relegation battle.
Alan Shearer thinks Tottenham hiring Roberto De Zerbi is a risky move, but he believes it’ll keep them in the Premier League.
Spurs have handed De Zerbi, an Italian coach, a massive five-year contract. The idea is not just to rescue them from the threat of relegation but also to set things up for the future. In his first interview with the club, De Zerbi made it clear he’ll still be in charge next season, no matter how the last seven games go.
He’s the fourth manager Spurs have had in nine months, which kind of says it all. Shearer pointed out that after so many missteps, De Zerbi really held the cards in negotiations. “Honestly, Roberto De Zerbi could’ve written his own contract. He probably did. The five-year deal? Don’t read too much into it. Who knows what clauses are in there? If things go sideways and he gets sacked, he might only get a year’s pay, if he’s lucky.
It’s still a gamble for De Zerbi. He doesn’t want to manage in the Championship, and there’s a real chance he ends up there. He’s betting on himself to turn things around in these last seven games. Shearer says De Zerbi knows the league and has a clear style of play, but whether he can get his ideas across in such a short time is still up in the air.
People keep saying Spurs are too good to go down, but Shearer’s not convinced. Skill only gets you so far; it’s all about mindset. Up till now, Spurs haven’t handled that part well. The real question is whether De Zerbi can inject some belief into the squad before the season ends. Confidence matters most, and the players have to believe he can get something out of them.
De Zerbi’s first test is a tough one: Sunderland away. Everyone’s watching that.
Spurs might even drop into the relegation zone by the time they play Sunderland if West Ham beats Wolves two days earlier. Shearer reckons De Zerbi will “just about” keep Tottenham up, and he compares the challenge to his own when he managed Newcastle, though he ended up relegated.
Shearer isn’t glossing over the risk. “Look, whoever they hired, it was going to be a gamble. But they’ve shown their hand five-year deal, good or bad, he’s their guy. It’s definitely a huge risk, but anyone would’ve been, given where Spurs are right now.”
He notes De Zerbi tends to do things his own way, and he rarely stays at clubs for very long. So the five-year contract? Not really that meaningful. The only thing that matters for Spurs is staying in the Premier League, then regrouping next season. Shearer thinks De Zerbi will just about manage it.
When Shearer managed Newcastle, he was in a similar spot bottom of the table, the fourth manager in a single season. He remembers how tough it was. “You don’t get the job because everything’s running smoothly. You walk in because the club’s in trouble. You’re basically hired because the club’s in s**t.”
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