MOYESY AND THE MAGIC WAND: SEASON REVIEW 2002-2003
By
Mickey Blue Eyes.

I wrote this in my season preview:

"I might as well sling cold water immediately by stating the obvious: We won’t win anything. I suspect Moyesy’s new signings, relatively greater aggression and fitness régime will get us to tenth and that will be an outstanding achievement given the horrors of recent years. We can be as intoxicated as we like with the breath of Moyes fresh air, but it won’t change the realities. Professional sport has always been a cruel arena at least as often as it is glorious. Our malaise has deep roots which won’t be dug up in one season. Of course, like you, I would love to be wildly wrong on this."

And like all of the rest of us I WAS wildly wrong. We finished seventh and could – perhaps should – have had a European place. We only had ourselves to “blame” when we fell at the final hurdle. In fact it was an amazing achievement given it was almost the same squad from previous years. Even then David Moyes was furiously dissatisfied. You only had to see his expression after we failed to secure the final European place in the closing weeks. It was indeed in our own hands and we let it slip. But given Moyesy’s apparent gargantuan appetite for improvement you can bet the primary lessons were learned and absorbed. I am willing to bet that if we are in the same position next season – another big “if” – then it won’t be allowed to slip away. Incredibly, Europe is a practical target for season 2004-2005.

Crucially David Moyes followed the age-old team rebuilding method of “going down the middle” in helping things along. Richard Wright in goal, (eventually) Joseph Yobo at centre back and Wayne Rooney/All New Rad up front. Of course it is never that simple. Moyesy’s strategic management methods were every bit as important. He and Alan Irvine are apparently the ideal young man infusion we so badly needed. Their fitness and tactical systems shook the players up no end and the resulting playing improvement almost did the same to the league table. Never was a Manager Of The Year award more earned or more deserved. Management, players and fitness coaches deserve the thanks of us all.

But after five matches of the new season the prospects weren’t so bright. We had drawn with Spurs and Birmingham at home, lost to Manchester City and Southampton away and won at Sunderland. Even the win was gained after resisting fierce pressure and a Wrighty penalty save. We were losing to both Spurs and Birmingham until we got late equalizers, the game with City was a maddening catalogue of familiar errors and we lost undeservedly to a penalty at Southampton. The ghosts of Walter Smith and Archie Knox hovered. Still, there were encouraging signs. Even making due allowance for early season enthusiasm the players really did seem to be fitter and relatively more consistent in their teamwork. Our optimism was chastened but not extinguished.

Even at that stage Tomasz Radzinski was easily our best player. His up front pace, goals and workrate were little short of astonishing. It stayed that way until he was injured two thirds of the way through the season. His loss proved decisive. He was my player of the season by a long, long way.

Then the results of everyone’s hard work began to pay off with wins against Fulham, Wrexham in the League Cup and, glory be!, Arsenal. We lost undeservedly at both Aston Villa and Manchester United, the latter with us down to ten men and three golas in the last five minutes. The thing was, none of it looked flukey, particularly the win over Arsenal. Spirits soared with that and the final spectacular arrival of The Duke, Wayne Rooney. You could feel the whole place lift. The team looked fitter, more confident. The fans crushed the whingeing of the Melledrew Tendency. Gradually the carping and fish-wife gossip gave way to even wider renewed enthusiasm. You can’t subdue good fans for long.

The next six matches whisked the clouds away for the rest of the season and gave due warning that we were back and no mistake. We won the lot, including a League Cup tie at Newcastle and a league match at Leeds for the first time in four hundred years. West Ham, Charlton, Blackburn and West Brom were all beaten though not without a struggle, especially with Blackburn. Gradually our form was more consistent as the formation became more reliable. By this time Joey Yobo had shown what a superb centre back he could be. Our central defence was much more reliable while he was there, which meant better resistance to through-the-middle pressure caused by midfield weaknesses. At the same time Lee Carsley and Tony Hibbert were a formidable pair wide right. This also buoyed the midfield in a strictly relative sense. Most notably, Pembo’s free kicks and corners were arriving with the accuracy of incoming mortar and Gravesen had stopped waving his fist and started to play some decent footy. Moyesy’s use of Rooney as a substitute was almost masterful in how it could turn a game.

So we go and lose the next three in a row, undeservedly away at Newcastle in the last five minutes after playing with ten men for most of the game, a League Cup débacle at Chelsea with an experimental front three which didn’t work, and a first home game loss to Chelsea when we were again down to ten men. This was followed by a draw at analfield with the pinkies and another draw with Birmingham away when The Duke got sent off. The aggregate sendings off counted against us in the long run. All of this was both chastening and cathartic. We had come a long way but the squad was (not unexpectedly) stretched dangerously thin. Realists amongst us always expected the really testing time would be the usual events of a full season. The second half was always going to be the most daunting.

We crossed over into the New Year with home draws against Bolton and Manchester City and an absolutely awful defeat at Shrewsbury in the FA Cup. The latter was one of the worst defeats in the club’s history, made worse by the fact that The Shrews eventually fell out of the League altogether. There was no excuse and Moyesy didn’t even attempt one. By the end of this run we should have reversed the affects of the previous six games. But it didn’t happen. Other results went our way, as they continued to do for most of the season. Moyesy is a lucky general. Except for a ludicrous subsequent away defeat at Tottenham caused by dopey defence and an awful goalkeeping display by One Game Baardsen. Amazingly, we were still up there at the top, snapping at the heels of the top four.

All of which meant the next five games consolidated our position with home wins over Sunderland, Leeds and Southampton, an away win at Bolton and an iffy loss at Charlton. You had to blink. There we were in the top four. There was realistic talk about qualifying for the Champions League or at least the UEFA Cup. As you scanned the remaining fixtures you couldn’t blame anybody for thinking the latter was quite a practical hope. Nor could there be the slightest doubt the team and management had well earned it. Almost three quarters of the season had gone. Ten games were left.

Our next opponents were Middlesbrough away, a draw, West Ham home, another draw, and Arsenal away, a not unexpected but narrow defeat after The Duke made yet another monkey of their defence. The adverse affects were quickly corrected with a home win over Newcastle and an away win at doomed West Brom. We were just on target. If we could get five points from the remaining five games we were in Europe. Given our form we could feel optimistic even though three of the games were against teams just above us in the table.

But finally our good fortune deserted us. The scales balanced. We lost at home to the pinkies, then badly, again, at Chelsea, won in the last minute with a Duke special against Villa at home, then lost pathetically – it’s the only word – with two own goals at Fulham (Fulham!), and then with everything dependent on the last match lost to the deserved champions, Manchester United. At the very last gasp Europe was beyond us. Oh well. As always, the league table never lies. You get what you deserve.

In fact is was an absolutely wonderful season for us, much more than we had a right to expect, cup games aside. David Moyes managed to squeeze more fitness, more commitment and more consistency out of players and added this to his “new” players. No question, it caught the rest of the league by surprise. Next season it will be very different. Everybody will be ready for us. Other managers will know how Moyesy uses his players. Other players will know the standard of fitness to expect from our players, that one of the additional qualities was usually a refusal to give up when the game flow was going against us. It will be much harder next season. If Moyesy and the team can make a repeat it will be an indication that he and we have finally arrived back on the scene.

One of the problems concerns the number of players we now have at or approaching veteran stage. These are: Mark Pembridge, Scott Gemmill, Kevin Campbell, Duncan Ferguson, David Weir, Stevie Watson and David Unsworth. No team can afford to lose that number of players all at once. And if you have next to no money to replace them, then it can be seen that we have an imminent major problem. The hope must be that Moyesy somehow works one of his miracles and finds replacements from somewhere, though gawd knows where. I guesstimate that most of these players will figure less and less. Injury has taken an obvious toll of Kevin Campbell in particular. The Big Yin has failed to convince not only that he is fully fit but that he has conquered his worst instincts or his complete inability to find one of our players with his outstanding heading ability.

Of the goalkeepers, Wrighty is relatively easily the best. Nobody sensible will allow his apparent weaknesses to overshadow his abilities. A few inexplicable fumbles, maddening as they are, are far inferior in numbers to the total of truly amazing saves he made throughout the season. If he can cut out the fumbles completely he will probably make it into the England squad and then into the team. Now his first full season is behind him we can surely hope for better from him. Which means no place for Steve Simonsen or Paul Gerrard, neither of whom manufacture much confidence in either David Moyes or the fans.

Amongst the full backs it was gratifying to see Tony Hibbert make the breakthrough until injury, albeit with lots of early season help from Lee Carsley. He looks to me to be future England material too. Unsy had a good and loyal season until his form wobbled as much as his distribution during the final quarter of the season. But our best full back and our classiest player by a country kilometre was Sandro Pistone; he says he doesn’t mind playing right back but I have seen him play his best at left back and that’s where this fan sees him playing if he stays. An emergency in these positions means we can call on Stevie Watson, Joey Yobo and Gary Naysmith – in my book it would have to be an ABSOLUTE emergency for the first two, neither of whom distinguished themselves there. I think Gary is better at left back than wide left mid but Moyesy obviously doesn’t agree and prefers his relative pace in midfield.

At centre back we are reasonably well off. David Weir and Alan Stubbs have had improved seasons, possibly fired up by the arrival of Joey, who is better than both of them. In my book Yobo is an absolute diamond of a player who would be one of the first on the team sheet at centre back, not at right back where I figure he cost us three crucial goals. Lee Wei Feng tried hard but just couldn’t hack it. He made the right decision to go home. Davey is a classy player while Stubbsy has no peer with his long passing but both are short of pace, something Joey has in buckets full. It seems to me one of them has to stand aside for Joey. Under normal circumstances I would say it should be Stubbsy but in fact Joey seems to play better with him. It’s a conundrum Moyesy will have to tackle this season.

Midfield is where we have had problems for a long time. We don’t seem any nearer to an overall solution. Paradoxically, it has been the Moyesy-inspired relative improvements in this area which have driven the team to its present standing. In spasms the midfield has even looked fearsome in the pressure it can exert.

The most improved but still wildly irritating player is Tommy Gravesen. Just when you figure he has had an epiphany he produces the kind of utter crap we got at Shrewsbury, home to the pinkies and at Fulham. There were other examples of both extremes. Don’t ask me why. I suspect nobody knows including himself. Steve Watson was moved to wide right mid when Moyesy decided us fans were right and Stevie’s baffling lack of defensive pace meant he wasn’t a full back. Still, he makes some really good runs to central striker and it brought us a few valuable goals. Why his forward pace is so superior is a mystery on a par with The Gravedigger Mystery. Lee Carsley proved an honest and much improved player when he was played wide right mid in front of Tony Hibbert. Put him at centre mid and his effectiveness diminishes by at least thirty percent. Li Tie showed he could be excellent – especially in his long passing and willingness to engage – but there’s no question he lacks staying power and tackling strength. Long term, I doubt he can overcome these deficits because of his build. Hence the injuries and in-and-out selection by Moyesy.

This leaves us with Scott Gemmill, Mark Pembridge and Gary Naysmith. The first two have been injured for much of the season and Gary only settled in later after giving away an appalling third goal at Manchester City. Gemmo and Pembo can’t last much longer even though their tackling remains quite strong. Gary has tried hard but he isn’t anywhere near the player he was at left back until he got that terrible muscle split injury. As I said, it is a paradox that this area of the team could improve so much and STILL virtually collapse at vital periods of a match. Needless to say when they came up against a good passing team they mostly had a hard time of it. Anyway, events might well force Moyesy to try some of the youngsters in this area. Osman, McCleod and one or two others might be worth the risk. Barring that, the only way out is to spend money we don’t have…………………………

Still, nobody should underestimate how much harder the midfield worked and tried. Short of skill and tactical nous as they were, they made up for deficiencies with a lot of non-stop effort. When they were overrun it wasn’t so much because they weren’t trying as they had simply run out of ideas and steam. Which of course made it all the more obvious.

Up front we have done well, injuries and suspensions notwithstanding. A better midfield would have guaranteed a lot more goals. Tomasz Radzinski was Player Of The Year even allowing for injuries and substitutions and some more incredible misses. It is many years since I have seen such pace. We always knew he had it but once he upped his work rate he became virtually indispensable. Most of his goals were masterpieces of opportunism. We can’t afford to lose him. How Moyesy substituted him so often and kept him happy only they know. It is no coincidence our challenge at the top faltered after we lost him to injury and Rooney to suspension, even though the American Brian MacBride did a truly outstanding job for the short time he was with us. Kevin Campbell frankly amazed me by lasting the season. I figured his loss of pace after the cruciate ligament injury would prove insurmountable. But he made up for it with his heading, scoring and general hold-up play in favour of Wayne Rooney. Nobody else, The Rad included, has this sort of playing chemistry with The Duke. You keep wishing for the impossible, for a younger, even more effective Campbell in parallel with Rooney. Oh well. Maybe young Nick Chadwick standing in the wings will prove to be an even better foil. One who isn’t, it seems to me, is Duncan Ferguson. He is as infuriating up front as Gravesen is in midfield. That said, he is only just back from injury and must be given a little more time to prove his overall effectiveness. I can’t believe I am writing that after all this time. Maybe it’s because we have no real depth in the squad. Where Wayne Rooney is concerned I have written about him in greater depth elsewhere and can’t usefully add to it here.

Off the pitch, our fans have been terrific once again. We have had no repeat of the cowardly minority racism which scarred our reputation so badly last season. (The nearest we have come to it is the deadbeat racist loonies [If you are one of them, go buy a metal loofah and work it up yourself you disgusting twat. Sideways.] who have called Kevin Campbell “lazy.”) The vast majority have been decent, marvelous and loyal almost to a fault. After the last five years or so they have earned every little bit of success the season brought. As always, mostly it was a great pleasure to be a part of Evertonia.

Which is why it was a tragedy we did not secure the Kings Dock project. The fans and our city deserved it. Now we will have to settle for much less. Whatever it is, let’s get on with it. That applies too to the new academy out in Halewood. Additional failure in the latter would bring the roof in in the boardroom.

The board of directors and administration of the club are still iffy at best. If Bill Kenwright can ever bring himself to be ruthless enough he will get rid of Abercromby, Woods and Tamlin without a second thought. None of them have anything to offer. Carter cannot last much longer after his best years have gone. It would help if he would resign with dignity. Paul Gregg self-admittedly has no interest in football and will probably sell up within the next two years, maybe much sooner. This means a new board of directors. All of which sounds very well………………………if you can find someone with the necessary finance to replace them. The hard reality is that they are there until such time as someone viable comes along. Don’t hold your breath. Which in turn means the board will stay split until Kenwright can solve the problem of long distance ownership. If he can’t, we may well lapse into the same torpor. Disloyal directors and executives will continue to leak morale sapping news items only to their own advantage and spiv messenger boy salesmen with their own corrupt agenda will continue to deliver them. CEO Michael Dunford is of no help in this matter, nor are most of the senior executives.

If a new Evertonian altruisitic owner comes along (again, don’t hold your breath) I could see a wholesale clearout of deadwood administrative jobsworths. Like mere salesmen, too many of them have been promoted to their own level of incompetence. The present situation only leaves the field wide open for whimpering and whining of The Melledrew Tendency. If playing achievements fall back you can expect to see their poisonous reappearance. You only have to look across Stanley Park to see how miserable The Tendency can get.

Beware too of those who urge more borrowing to buy players. Never trust a book-keeper. We have a small capacity to borrow, but not much, probably realistically not more than five-ten millions. And as we all know, that will buy us next to nothing. Even Moyesy would be hard put to create another miracle with so little.

As I said, it was a superb season. You earned it through your loyalty. Get yourself ready for the next one and let’s hope Moyesy’s magic wand isn’t bent in the close season. It is still The Beautiful Game. And David Moyes and the players showed they are quite good at it. (18/05/03)

R.I.P. My Best Mate