Unimaginative Blues sucker-punched again at home
Everton 0 – 1 Manchester United
Everton could still be playing now and it’s doubtful they would have scored. They pressed and harried United but lacked the guile to open the visitors up before being undone on the counter yet again
Very little could compare with the magic of Goodison Park under the lights for a fixture against one of our fellow big clubs and, some time in the future, once the off-the-field gripes have been ironed out, Bramley-Moore Dock feels more like home, and Everton have a team worthy of the occasions, a night by the waterfront for a high-profile televised clash will surely stir the emotions in the same way.
Tonight was not that night, at least not by the end. Despite plenty of effort, running and graft, the Blues were found wanting in the final third and a David Moyes line-up that was seemingly designed to contain rejuvenated Manchester United ended up being picked off on the counter-attack in painfully ironic and familiar fashion while the manager’s first and belated attacking substitution was being prepared on the touchline.
In truth, Everton could still be playing now and it’s doubtful they would have scored. They pressed and harried United for most of the contest and tried to impose their will in the final third but lacked the guile, creativity and movement to open the visitors up. And when they had opportunities — 10 of them in all — to try and force home a goal from the more rudimentary route of a corner, Moyes’s men betrayed an embarrassing lack of imagination and variation.
The result was a sixth Premier League defeat at Hill Dickinson Stadium this season, one that ensures that the wait for the Blues’ sparkling new arena on the banks of the Royal Blue Mersey to experience its first great occasion and folklore-worthy victory since the opening day win over Brighton goes on. So, too, does the frustrating wait for a first home triumph of 2026.
Everton couldn’t have asked for more from their long-suffering supporters. Thanks to the stellar efforts of The 1878s, the team was welcomed onto the pitch by a sea of flags and banners in the South Stand and they were backed throughout by a raucous crowd that fed off the injustice of a catalogue of soft and uneven decisions from referee Darren England and his assistants and what was clear endeavour from the players.
The Toffees just weren’t able to reward the support coming from the stands with either a goal or a winner; instead, Benjamin Sesko stepped off the Red Devils’ bench to sweep the ball home at the end of a two-on-one counter-attack to settle the game in the 71st minute.
Despite Everton’s energy, the early signs were somewhat ominous after Thierno Barry had almost profited with less than 30 seconds gone when he charged down Senne Lammens’ clearance but the ball ricocheted away from goal.
On United’s first attack, Matheus Cunha was unfortunate to fire a goal-bound shot into his team-mate, Amad Diallo, and Jordan Pickford had to be at his best to get a hand to Bruno Fernandes’s follow-up effort before the prone James Tarkowski hooked the ball to safety.
Pickford was forced to push Diogo Dalot’s cross-cum-shot away from his goal shortly afterwards before the Portuguese full-back smashed a half-volley inches wide of the post and Bryan Mbeumo dragged an effort of his own past the same upright nine minutes before half-time.
Lammens was only called into action once in the first period when Idrissa Gueye was caught by Amad and James Garner tested the keeper with an accurate direct free-kick towards the top corner but overall the hosts created nothing by way of clear-cut chances before going in goalless at the interval.
The second half was more promising in the early going. Straight after the restart, a nice move involving Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall ended at the feet of Harrison Armstrong but the 19-year-old could only shoot straight the keeper from the edge of the box.
Mbeumo almost capitalised on Tarkowski’s inability to deal with an awkwardly-bouncing ball in his six yard box but, thankfully, the former Brentford man smashed his shot high over the bar before shots from Dewsbury-Hall and James Garner, deployed at right-back in place of the suspended Jake O’Brien while Jarrad Branthwaite played at left-back, were deflected behind for corners.
Despite the somewhat defensive and creatively-limited formation, Everton were enjoying their best spell of the match and had been readying Tyrique George to come on for a few minutes when United, having made their proactive change 13 minutes earlier, struck.
A cross from the right by Gueye was headed out to Sesko just outside his penalty area, Luke Shaw knocked his lay-off to Cunha who spotted Mbeumo racing towards the halfway line on the other side of the pitch. With Michael Keane caught on his heels, the Cameroon international galloped onto what was, admittedly, an excellent ball and into the the clear as Sesko did likewise, leaving Tarkowski labouring his wake, arriving in time to receive Mbeumo’s pass and bang it past Pickford from near the penalty spot.
To their credit, Everton battled manfully to find a way back into the game but despite a succession of corners, each one featuring the same ineffective strategy of packing the six-yard box full of bodies in an attempt to bundle something home from close range, they only came close to equalising through Keane.
The centre-half lined up a crisp left-footed shot from distance that Lammens had to palm over his bar while Gueye sliced horribly wide late on and George smacked a better strike too close to the goalie in stoppage time. Pickford, meanwhile, prevented United from doubling their lead with another counter-attack when he did superbly to foul Sesko.
The defeat leaves Everton clinging to ninth place in the table ahead of a trip to Newcastle at the weekend that will pit against each other two teams who are currently separated by a point. Similar circumstances to the Toffees’ last away win at Fulham earlier this month and if Europe is going to remain a realistic target, on the evidence of this evening Moyes is going to have to keep engineering wins away from Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Because who knows when the next home victory is going to come. You would think that a repeat of this kind of desire and intensity would be enough to overcome surely doomed Burnley early next month but there are no easy games in the current Premier League. A bit more adventure from the manager wouldn't go amiss...
Reader Responses
Selected thoughts from readers24/02/2026 01:05:46
Does Moyes want another season or not? I just can’t condone the selections and strategy to contain and maybe nick a goal if we’re lucky? It’s Man United, who admittedly under Carrick have been in good form but they’re no world beaters, if it was Arsenal or City then I could understand the caution but not against this United team, who tonight was there for the taking.
This game really highlighted the frustrations that are felt by many of us. Moyes not being brave enough to take us to the next level, being too negative when it’s completely unnecessary, he may just be answering these (unanswered questions) a lot of us have by simply not answering them and being the judge and executioner of his own downfall by continuing to pick the wrong team and set up. I'm a big fan of Moyes and what he has achieved this season but he needs to learn this won’t be tolerated.
Keane and Tarks as a pairing is stinking the place out, they can’t turn, the Sesko goal highlighted how slow they are.
This system doesn’t work, it didn’t work against Leeds and it didn’t work tonight, so surely Moyes will move on from it and start playing players in their natural positions and be more proactive and take initiative rather than playing to not lose.
24/02/2026 03:22:12
Gueye and Tarkowski are done at this level and Tim Iroegbunam is not good enough. Why does our manager continue to play players out of position? Armstrong wasted on the left. What did Rohl do to deserve this kind of treatment?
The whole team could not find a forward pass, it was like we were playing in treacle, first half particularly. And what on earth were we trying with the WWE rubbish for all of our corners?? I despair.
Thierno Barry...good grief
24/02/2026 03:49:27
Not sure if I can explain this to Moyes correctly, but I will start with the obvious first. We lost this game solely because of team selection and tactics. Lots of people saying round pegs square holes but it's isn't just that. Look, all the players selected are generally excellent in their preferred position, and that's the point, in their preferred position. They know that position, understand naturally where on the pitch the should be at any point in time. The players around them will trust them to be in the right place. No need to second guess a pass, a tackle a ball forward by a team mate. David, no matter how good a player is, out of position reduces their effectiveness and is a clear riskto the balance of the team!
Especially when you have two natural full backs on the bench. Their natural position brings balance to the players around them, they can be counted on to be in the right place at the right time.
Play good players out of position and the team loses that balance and effectiveness. Play 3 players out of position and expect to win against anyone in the Premier league and you'll be lucky.
You also destroy the trust and confidence of those players who sit on the bench. But Moyes knows best, managers choice, well Davey, that one is on you. Again. Tim and Gueye in the middle is now a very questionable choice, they were knackered in the 2nd half, but not subbed, no Charly, Dibling, not even on the bench, I will be surprised if they are still at the club next season if Moyes still is.
In truth I have absolutely no idea just what got into Moyes head when he was selecting the team, but he did not set out to win tactically, if he says he did he is telling porkies, the Moyes of old was firmly entrenched in the dugout tonight.
24/02/2026 07:16:47
We’re currently going into every game with one hand tied behind our backs.
It’s funny, but I remember thinking this at times the first time around with Moyes. He picked 3 central defenders and 5 central midfielders last night. I make it 4 players out of position (Dewsbury-Hall is an ‘8’ not a ‘10’ - he says so himself).
Talented young players who should be developing are not even getting game time at all, even to chase a result at home.
2 substitutions were made when chasing a result at home.
It’s not even the result, it’s the fact that the manager isn’t making basic, obvious decisions to try to get that result. He seems scared or unable to do certain things.
As far as I’m concerned, he’s now done. There’s no enjoyment or anticipation of an Everton game at the moment.
24/02/2026 07:19:55
It's often said that managers stumble across their best teams by accident. Moyes did that at Villa Park and has subsequently ignored it.
Play players in their proper positions. Play players who are in form, not infirm. Gana & Ndaiye are still knackered after AFCON.
That goal last night showed how desperate we are for pace and strikers. Must be sorted in the summer.
24/02/2026 07:51:10
Posts above pretty much say it all, so what needs to be done?
We can hope for Moyes to change, or be changed himself.
We have seen signs this season of Everton playing good joined up football, but very few, so the first thing to do is to play guys in their best position, then coach transition, speed up our passing game, get into good attacking positions quicker and have more shots on target.
Playing on the front foot as a unit, wanting the ball, being in place to receive it, playing the ball into the space ahead of the player, not to feet, thats holding play, not attack, and that stifles transition.
This does of course require good fitness, awareness, energy and skill, but all of these things can be coached.
Set pieces need variety and creativity.
Everton are too predictable, this comes from the manager, this needs to change.
24/02/2026 08:24:12
A lot of good sensible posts on here so far.
For me, we must start games with at least 1 natural attacking full back; start playing O’Brien and Branthwaite as first choice centre-backs.
24/02/2026 09:17:03
Sean Dyche was pilloried for not making substitutions earlier. Moyes really ought to have introduced Tyrique George at the first break in play after the hour mark. His running and pace on the left might just have changed our fortunes at a point when we were in the ascendancy in terms of possession and territory.
That said, we were caught out with too many players up the field by a rapid counterattack from a strike force which cost around £270m last summer; a strike force with genuine pace and quality. None of our attackers are at that level. Until such time as we can bring players of that calibre into the team we look destined to struggle in all our home games, just as we have done for several seasons.
For now, I think Tyrique George should start or be introduced earlier in the game. Garner performed well at right back but the combination of Gana and Iroegbunam in central midfield has never really impressed. They are too much alike with Iroegbunam especially guilty of spoiling his good work winning possession with too many errant passes.
As a team we lack a consistent goal threat. Thierno Barry is clearly carrying a shoulder injury but in any case looks lightweight against big centre backs. Only when Garner and Dewsbury-Hall are in possession do we look promising or even safe with the ball. The ploy of piling blue shirts into the six yard box never looked like paying off against a keeper as impressive as Lammens was last night. Our set pieces were a useful weapon under Dyche but have rarely looked effective in the last twelve months. More variation is required, perhaps even the occasional short corner to keep opponents guessing.
As Lyndon notes it is hard to see where our next home win is coming from. Burnley are likely to be no less competitive than they were in the goalless draw in December.
24/02/2026 09:43:44
Just down to selection and tactics, not individual players.I agree with Paul Moyes played 10 yards up the pitch at Villa Park and showed what this team could do, but reverted back 10 yards in the next and subsequent games.
24/02/2026 09:53:54
Only another 11 games to endure more of the same.
We all know the team for Newcastle will be the same as last night with O'Brien back in at full back and Garner replacing Tim Iro.
Like last night the strategy will be to set up to try not to lose - and only consider changing anything when we are a goal down.
In most games we'll have about 30% possession and create very few chances.
And with every game that passes we'll reflect on how much we miss Jack Grealish.
24/02/2026 10:11:01
Harry @2 has just scratched an itch I've had for a few weeks now.
Does Moyes want another season or not?
I think there could be an article on this subject atm.
Doing well and getting into Europe could herald calls for an extended contract, (does he want one?).
Why wouldn't the club want this – more revenue and exposure and the chance to entice better players?
Why aren't we going for it? We are safe from relegation with a chance to finish in the European places. The league is all over the place this season with inconsistency everywhere.
Where is Charley Alcaraz? I believe he would have made a big difference last night at 10; he gets stuck in and has a bit of passion about him. And don't get me started on players out of position or out of form. Jeez, I need a deep breath.
24/02/2026 11:45:00
This morning still feels like it did at the game - we are enduring some of the worst aspects of an obdurate manager stuck in his ways on team selection and tactics. We had similar in his first spell. I support Everton and want any manager to do well but David Moyes makes that really difficult at times - as the article suggests, a bit more adventure would not go amiss and likely alter the crowd mood and some results.
Most I spoke to walking out of the ground and on the journey home were simply frustrated with the set up of the team as much as the result achieved by a break away forward catching out our slow players.
24/02/2026 12:17:40
Great article lyndon, I despair at the team selection every game.why does moyes not utilise the squad?
Alcaraz, rohl,dibling,aznou,Patterson they just aren't getting minutes and why idrissa plays every game i'll never know.
No pace,slow build up and don't get me started on those corners last night that was just plain embarrassing no variation at all,no doubt jake will be right back against the bar codes and I'm worried, Gordon,elanga and Barnes running at that defence isn't going to end well.
At the start of the season I said I'd be happy with stress free mid table mediocrity so I should be happy, but this "football" especially at home drags you down
Anyway rant over UTFT!
24/02/2026 13:00:29
Last night's game was lost in January when we decided to stick with what we've got in the striking positions and at fullback. Barry and Beto are nowhere near good enough for Everton and for a team that is supposedly aspiring to be competing for European places. I don't even think they're Championship standard, being brutally honest. Did Beto even touch the ball after coming on? We're supposed to praise Barry for doing some shooting practice in the week.
The really frustrating thing last night was that Man United weren't even that good. If we possessed a Cahill, Fellaini or a Big Dunc then we'd have won that match. They won it with one piece of good play and a clinical forward who took his only chance with aplomb. We haven't had a player like that since Lukaku. To be fair, they've spent upwards of £600m and our net spend over the past 5 years is £14m. Therein lies the difference. As others have said though, you make a difficult task more onerous by playing players who are out of form or are deployed in non familiar roles. Again.
I am thankful that we are not further down the league, in another relegation dogfight and I would have settled for this at the start of the season but the biggest frustration is that we had a chance in January to show some ambition and we settled for caution.
I am gradually losing the enthusiasm for football, in general. I've been football mad and an Evertonian for 40 odd years but what is the point? A new stadium was supposed to bring in a new era of optimism and players would want to come to us. Yet another false dawn, where mid-table mediocrity is to be celebrated. Meanwhile Sky continue to ruin the game with their love-in for the so-called big teams. No Saturday afternoon home games, bloggers popping up everywhere voicing their thoughts, Neville and Carragher on United and RS games, Fanalysis, betting, VAR, biased refereeing, Deadline Day, football agents. All this whilst the likes of Man City and Chelsea continually go unpunished for offences from years ago. Each year, the ladder gets pulled up more and more and, as Evertonians, we bang on about the great players from yesteryear whilst pinning our hopes on the likes of Sandro, Kean, Niasse, Maupay, Tosun, Walcott, Rondon, Barry and Beto. And each passing season the number of years we've gone since winning anything gets incremented.
It's like a drug though. We'll all be back, hoping we can get something at Newcastle at the weekend and our fortunes then might change.
Depressing.
24/02/2026 13:39:09
Alan,3, those corners put you in mind of WWE. After watching Six Nations at the weekend and seeing the England v Fiji promoted, I thought I was watching line-outs.
Got to the point where I was half-expecting Keane and Branthwaite to hoist Tarks up into the air.
With umpteen bodies on the goalline and within a metre of it, I thought it unlikely the ball would find a way into the net and any successful effort would be at risk of being disallowed.
And as United were defending those corners superbly, I so wished we would try something different.
24/02/2026 13:53:28
Totally soul destroying game to watch that. Two really average teams huffing and puffing at each and other making reams of mistakes, plus a bizarre refereeing display (that we often benefitted from).
Thank you Mike Owen for at least giving me a laugh with your line out comment and the image of Tarks being lifted up!
Come to think of it…is there anything in the rules against that?!
At least we can look forward to an away game next!!!
24/02/2026 13:56:59
Gosh, I didn't really expect all these very consistent views on last nights match. I of course was disappointed by the Managers selections and how he continues to play players out of their natural positions. But once the game started I enjoyed our all round effort and for most of the game I thought we might get all 3 points. OK all the usual failings were on show, but there was some compensation in the form of our all round effort and the continued excellence of James Garner.
In terms of the rest of the season David Moyes needs to review his team selections and his all too predicable tactics. And please, please can we review our system at corners. Last nights tactic of placing burly 6 foot plus players in front and around the opposing goalkeeper, is not working and is almost certainly foul play, and in the unlikely event of us scoring the goal would probably be disallowed.
However, we have played a lot worse this season, and in truth I had not expected us to win. The fact that we lost the game was more to do with David Moyes than the players, and if fails to adapt we will continue to loose games which we could so easily have won.
24/02/2026 14:19:29
Moyes will be staying as Manager and these type of performances will continue with enough wins and draws to finish between 7th-12th in the table.Moyes has had 4 wins in 82 Premiership matches against the traditional top six Clubs, so this result is no surprise. TFG want stability and gradual change to a data driven operation on the football side. Moyes will stay until they decide it is time to pivot to challenge for higher positions in the Premier League Table.This progress alines with Roma. But Everton started from a lower base with PSR concerns and relegation survival, which added a further lag.
24/02/2026 15:07:03
Dave, 17, interesting question that. But please don't be coming up with any more rugby-inspired ideas. We already have Jordan punting into the opposition 22.
As for Armstrong on the wing, I reckon Moyes sees him as doing what Grealish did there, holding the ball up, rarely losing possession before finding a teammate.
I thought an isolated Barry worked hard against two centre-backs. But our best shot of the game came from Keane. In my view, he's a natural striker. I would love to see him start a game up front, with Ndiaye just behind him.
But it's a nice day. Need to go for a walk and try and get Everton out of my head.
24/02/2026 17:06:38
Moyes is an experienced manager - and not stupid. However I cannot fathom why he won't freshen up the team - particularly as we keep losing.
The last decent performance I saw was Villa away. Midfield (without Idrissa - who I rate but, like Tarky has declined since last season) was v good and even Barry looked up to the standard of Bernie Wright.
Also, is it my imagination or are attendances at Hill Dickinson starting to decline (albeit slowly)?
24/02/2026 18:10:24
Craig, I disagree that we needed to do much in January. We already have the players at the club to improve this side and get better results, Moyes just won’t pick them. Patterson has started 3 games this season, 2 wins and a draw, yet Moyes will do anything other than play him.
He’s refused to play Aznou, Alcaraz, Dibling and now Röhl as well, all of whom (bar Aznou) have shown they can play Premier League football but been denied the chance to develop.
If we set the team up properly, with players in their own positions and some attacking intent, then Beto and Barry would look like much better players. Both have shown they can score goals in the Premier League and whilst yes, I’d love a better striker, the constant fiction that we’d be fine if only they finished chances is the most dangerous thing I’m reading lately. By scapegoating those players and denying what the real problem is we’re not moving any closer to solving it.
24/02/2026 19:15:49
I understand the frustration with team selection but if we think Patterson, Aznou and Dibling are the missing ingredients then we are seriously deluded.
I thought we gave a very inform Utd a good game but our usual failing in the final third told.
I thought we looked solid at the back despite the criticisms of Keane and Tarks and just need some wingers/wingbacks and a finisher to enhance the squad.
It seems the keyboard warriors are keen to get rid of Moyes but in the short term I think that would be a mistake.
Our weaknesses are laid bare for all to see and the so called elite recruitment team are yet to deliver. Until we will stumble our way back.
It could be worse we could be Spurs supporters.
24/02/2026 20:08:45
Mike 22, totally agree. It is so difficult for a striker in a set up like ours. Two centre backs marking you and no one overlapping if you do actually manage to flick on a high ball.
If we’re going to give Barry or Beto any chance then the pass needs to come in to them at below waist height so they can control it and lay it off…and at the moment Barry is definitely the better option for that. It does rely on the midfielders and wingers not leaving him so isolated though.
After further reflection, and a bit of calming down, we weren’t awful or anything, but you just knew we weren’t ever going to score. I suspect it’s the inevitability of the result that left me so cheesed off.
And Tim needs to do serious passing practice. He gave the ball away (in fairness, often a ball he won back) so many times when all that was required was a simple pass.
I’m not in the ‘Moyes out’ brigade for sure. After the merry go round we’ve experienced over the Morshiri era I am amazed that anyone would think another managerial change at this time is a good idea. FFS can we just enjoy a bit of stability? Yes, it’s mid table mediocrity, but I’ll take that over another relegation battle. I’ve always had the dread that, if we went down, we’d be more likely to be a Blackpool than a Burnley.
Let DM have a full summer to recruit, and a chunk of next season, and see if he can work his 2004/5 magic again.
24/02/2026 21:10:29
I would have loved to have been a Spurs fan, last May, in Bilbao, Jay.
24/02/2026 21:52:32
Jimmy (12) Alcaraz was injured in training and will be unavailable for several weeks.
24/02/2026 22:21:46
Jerome (10) I thought the players pushed up after half-time after a cautious first half. Given that we ultimately lost the game from a fast counterattack when we had nine players deep inside the United half perhaps that caution was warranted.
Overall we made more than twice as many successful passes in the final third than we did at Villa. Our lack of a consistent goal threat stemmed from the lack of individual quality and pace on the ball until the introduction of Tyrique George.
24/02/2026 22:24:22
I take your point Anthony and I am sure we would have enjoyed it more than them but we are in the middle of climbing our way back to that particular table and as we can see with the likes of Villa, Newcastle, Brighton and the like it gets more competitive every year.
24/02/2026 22:26:11
IMHO, thirty- somethings , does not equate to a « Work in Progress « nor an eventual quest for success.
24/02/2026 22:27:03
Ground Hog Day. again and sadly the inevitable home defeat.
2 weeks off and they played like strangers and so many loose passes, 6 -20 yards all unforced errors.
But its a reality check and there is no genuine threat from Barry or Beto, and as much. I want them to succeed, it wont happen.
Missing Grealish, with his ability to bring some purpose and cohesion.
Garner omho, Evertons best player, was wasted at RB.
Gana looks looks like his tank is empty along with Ilie, the AFCON, has taken a toll.
The comedy show of corners,summed up the lack of a plan B, from Corners and hopeless croses to a forward line that doesnt exist.
I reckon Burnley will be up for it, and it is a game Everton cant afford to lose.
Lets see if Rohl and Alcaraz can get a start.
Patto and Miky,I sense could be on their way, but but the Old Guard of Tarks and Keane, and a similar goal to the Wolves equaliser, tells a story.
I think knicking 7th or 8th place. is a long shot now.
24/02/2026 22:57:47
Mike (21) Your question about the attendances prompted me to check the numbers. Last night’s attendance of 52,326 was the highest since the 52,513 at the Arsenal match. The highest attendance so far was at the Newcastle game, 52,544; the lowest league attendance was 50,196 for Bournemouth when the visitors were unable to use their full allocation.
It will be interesting to see the Burnley turnout. Anecdotally my impression is that demand has eased, that significant numbers of season tickets are being passed on to family or friends or being sold on via the club. I guess the crunch will come when the novelty of the new stadium wears off. Poor results coupled with insoluble transport challenges will test the loyalty of many supporters.
24/02/2026 23:08:18
Paul (30) We certainly won’t see Alcaraz versus Burnley or for a few weeks. As I said at (26) he is out for a few weeks with an injury. I would like to see Röhl start. I don’t know what his best position is. Does David Moyes know?!
25/02/2026 00:09:00
Does anyone really think that if we put the ball in the net from a corner, it would be allowed. One can be sure that Tarkowski would be penalised for his constant wrestling with all and sundry in the goal area. Yes, everyone does it, but Tarkowski, with his stupid, goofy grin draws attention to himself every time.
25/02/2026 03:32:22
John (31) the figure for Bournemouth was the official figure but judging by the number of empty seats in the West Stand alone, I’d be amazed if there were that many who actually showed up.
I could be wrong but we seem to have adopted the US model of publishing the total number of tickets sold rather than actual attendance on the night.
25/02/2026 06:42:46
Andrew#33
The tactics were to contain and nick a goal, particularly from a set piece.The thinking on the latter was brute force and ignorance, which stands a very high chance of being penalized in the Premier League, with a high chance of not working anyway.
25/02/2026 09:02:59
Thanks John, yes a pity ss Alcaraz, is fearless, and puts a dhift in, admittedly his passing was off well before his injury.
I sense Moyes won't change his back four, but I hope Rohl, gets a start, but who knows.
The status quo of going the match is an issue and Ive said often, the Saturday 3pm. K O,is now a rare event and couped with the match day ritual - Goodison Park, unique and untouchable, the transition of the match day ritual to Hill Dickenson, will take a long time, and for some. it may never happen.
Lets see.
25/02/2026 16:18:56
Lyndon (34) I think you are right. A mate of mine with a seat next to me in the North Lower was unable to use his ticket for a midweek game last month and was unable to pass it on. His was not the only empty seat in that section. I understand more than a few in the West Stand don’t bother taking their seats at all, preferring to stay in the premium lounges watching the action on the TV screens especially when the temperature is low.
25/02/2026 16:40:26
Andrew (33) I thought exactly the same midway through the second half. We ended up winning ten corners. While it is obvious players are under instructions surely someone on or at the side of the pitch, should have had the gumption to suggest trying a different approach once it became apparent the keeper, Lammens, was not going to be bullied.
Apart from all the tiresome grappling, wrestling, pushing and shoving each corner seems to take an inordinate amount of time thus eroding any sense of momentum for the attacking side.
25/02/2026 16:58:20
A perfect succinct headline that in truth could have been copied and pasted from identical headlines from earlier this season.
You might well need to use it again before the season ends, Lyndon.
I agree the overwhelming view that Moyes's selection is perverse.
The fact that the 'square pegs' have often acquitted themselves well is a credit to the players not his selection.
The damage to those shoehorned in often against their natural inclinations and will (probably), plus the morale sapping effect on those those who are constantly overlooked is incalculable.
It must only be a matter of time before we hear the rumblings of 'lost the dressing room'.
Will that precede or succeed 'lost the terraces'?
Sad because our plight is so capable of simple sensible remedy.
25/02/2026 20:35:12
Lyndon #34. I suspect you are correct. A colleague of mine who attends Arsenal games tells me the ground is rarely full - but c.60,000 is always reported.
It’s a far cry from the days when we paid at the gate to enter Goodison - the ground was obviously packed - but an official attendance of 30,000 was reported.
25/02/2026 23:47:56
Those were the days, full house, and fiddling the gates, and saving tax money.
Yep, everything has changed, going the match.
Change was needed, the transformation, will take a long time.
A tough road ahead, but there may be more scope for testing the market and Evertons global scouting system.
26/02/2026 03:36:24
I really do not like watching a pre-match vlog where I see dispersed groups of us walking up the Dock Road more often than not in the last four months with gusting wind and rain falling. A line of people trying to get in somewhere for a drink. Herding us through one gate into the Plaza to spend our sponds.
Things will improve, I'm sure, but it might take a long time. The thing I miss most about The Old Lady is Goodison Rd on match days: the sounds, smells, laughter, seeing old mates, the chippy, the crowd, all those alehouses on our routes to get there, The Winslow gone, St. Lukes, the Heritage society, even the bookies is imprinted in my mind. A community.
There was no way that the crowd v Bournemouth was 50,196. That's the missing 2,000 Bournemouth fans. There were really striking gaps in each stand. Some of those gaps in the East Stand were jaw-dropping.
27/02/2026 07:58:36
John#27
Everton did push up in the second half, but not as a cohesive unit leaving gap and some players 10 yards too deep.Everton has one of the deepest formation in the Premiership.
This you see yourself when you watch matches.You have often described and correctly analysed it John it in your posts.Extensive Clearances are the classic sign of a team that sits deep and constantly has to hack the ball away from its own box. High interceptions in Everton's half show they are reading the game well deep in their own territory, cutting out passes intended for forwards who are playing high up against them. Blocking Shots by getting bodies in the way. Low Possession by sitting deep often ceding the ball to the opposition.
This is achieved by the entire team retreating into their own half, forming a compact unit just outside the penalty box,referred to as the proverbial low block,even involving attackers and inverted wingers. They cede possession willingly, aiming to deny space in behind. The deep wingers(inverted) and full-backs stay narrow to clog the central areas, forcing the opposition to attack them out wide where the angles for goal are worse. They defend the box with physical centre-backs who win almost every high first ball, but can make errors on the ground. Full-backs tuck in so tightly that they often function as a third centre-back, preventing cut-backs and low crosses along the six-yards box. When Everton win the ball, they don't build from the back. They look for an immediate long ball to a target to relieve pressure or win a set-piece.Knowing they won't create many open play chances, they treat every corner and free-kick into the box as a primary goal-scoring opportunity, but show signs of needing organisation and practice( including when defending a corner), resorting to brute force and ignorance against United.
The problem is that this is Moyes overriding plan and when Everton push up Moyes always wants someone to close the door, left behind.This suits players who are uncomfortable when they are one to one defending further forward and don't like the ball played beyond them.(Pace)
You can see what the thinking is, a clearance is seen as a badge of honour, pats on the backs and visible relief motivation when a ball is cleared. Actually Moyes is a bit of a Dycheball fan, resorting to it quickly after his honeymoon period last season.
It all depends on TFG and their willingness to stay in stabilisation mode. They will only change when ready, that you can be sure off, but Pivot mode is on the horizon.
28/02/2026 20:20:54
Jerome (43) I agree with most if not all of what you say. In many ways Moyes is a Dycheball fan, just better at it and with a small handful of players able to add a moment of quality. That sprinkling of quality has made the difference in our narrow victories which most of them have been this season.
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24/02/2026 00:43:24
We set up like we were playing away.
Apart from Grealish and the suspended O’Brien we had a full squad to choose from but Moyes managed to put our best midfielder at right back (despite two actual right backs sitting on the bench) and thought playing Branthwaite at left back was the best option.
Oh, and Armstrong was employed on the wing.
Far too many misplaced passes in the first half but more endeavour in the second but as you say Lyndon we didn’t really look like scoring.
I thought Fernandes refereed the game very well, if you supported Man U, whereas the actual referee was hopelessly weak and booked the wrong players and didn’t book those he should have.
Moyes, when questioned after the game as to his team selections, said it was ‘Manager's choice’.
Still, he can put O’Brien back at right back on Saturday.
Onwards and hopefully upwards Blues, though I have my doubts.