Everton fans: forget the rotten results and concentrate on Moyes' many positives

By David Maddock

Published 14:55 20/10/09

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Amid the crushing disappointment of two terrible results in their last two home games at Goodison, there have still been some green shoots of encouragement for disaffected Everton fans.

For a start, just look at the bench the Blues boasted against Wolves, which shows the incredible work David Moyes has stealthily been pursuing during his time at the club. 

Even though they couldn't ultimately make a huge difference, Moyes was able to bring on Yakubu, Marouane Fellaini and Jo against the Black Country club. Now, that is £12million Yak, £14million Fellaini, and a Brazilian who cost Manchester City £18million.

It shows the benefits of continuity. Everton now have a certain depth to their squad, because their manager has carefully plotted a course of building from the foundations which is beginning to pay dividends. It's a good job too, because the injuries the club has endured already this season, would have destroyed them in recent years.

But for me, the most significant feature of the game against Wolves, even as the Blues were throwing away two points for the second successive game at Goodison, was the nature of the football the team played, albeit sporadically.

Under Moyes, Everton have always been assumed to be a physical team, one that relies on tough tackling and an 'in your face' attitude that often bullies opponents into submission. But that has always been a wildly inaccurate perception.

The Scottish boss likes his team to play football, to pass the ball and keep possession, but that has often been overlooked because he also wants his team to be uncompromising in first winning the ball and earning the right to play.

Against Wolves, he fielded a midfield based around the delightfully assured technique of youngster Jack Rodwell, supported by Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, who I am convinced will emerge as one of the most technically gifted wingers the Premier League has ever seen.

Leon Osman is another of those stylish, attractive players Moyes encourages, and Tim Cahill has always impressed with his ability on the ball, and his sublime movement off it. 

Strikers such as Louis Saha and Jo have always based their game around skill and movement, and in Steven Pienaar, Everton can possibly boast the most accomplished performer in the Premier League so far this season. Fellaini, for a big fella, is also accomplished technically.

Then there is the injured Mikel Arteta,  When he finally returns from injury, he will add another dimension to the Everton midfield, because there is probably not a better passer of the ball in the whole of English football.

So watch this space. They still don't have a massive squad, but what Everton do have  - after seven years of careful planning, and quite outstanding work in the transfer market - is a talented group of technically impressive players. 

When they do get all their players back from injury, they will be a team to watch, because the Blues will never be a pushover with Phil Neville as captain, and Phil Jagileka, Sylvain Distin and Joseph Yobo in their side.

But with Arteta to pull the strings they will go to another level as the season progresses, and prove they can be a match, in terms of producing quality passing-based football, for any of the big clubs at the top of the table. 

Their early season injury worries have already put paid to any outside hope of challenging the ruling elite for the top four places, but there is still the Europa Cup, and given reasonable luck they will be contenders to win that competition, and further enhance the reputation of English clubs in Europe.

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