Features

Moyes feels the pressure

Author: John Harris
Date: 31/10/2009
Football betting

David Moyes' troubles at the start of the season continue to rumble on following Everton's disappointing 3-2 loss at Bolton Wanderers on Sunday afternoon.

The Toffees were losing 2-0 early in the game but goals from Louis Saha and Marouane Fellaini restored parity at Reebok Stadium before sloppy defending allowed Ivan Klasnic to fire in a winner for the hosts.

It capped a catastrophic week for Moyes' men after their demoralising 5-0 loss at Benfica in the UEFA Europa League last Thursday.

Everton who finished last season in a lofty fifth position, qualifying for Europe, have failed to settle into any rhythm to date and languish in 14th position in the Premier League table.

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However, as many clubs suffer through injury, Moyes has struggled more than most inside the first quarter of the season.

Influential Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta still sits out with a ruptured cruciate ligament injury.

Captain Phil Neville injured his knee in a game at Fulham and will not return to action until Christmas at the earliest.

Other casualties include long-term absentee Phil Jagielka, Steven Pienaar, Leon Osman, Yakubu, Leighton Baines, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and Victor Anichebe in a growing and worrying list.

The Goodison Park outfit's bench on Sunday made for interesting viewing.

Twenty-one-year-old Seamus Coleman was joined by 20-year-old Kieran Agard, 18-year-olds James Wallace and Hope Akpan and 17-year-olds Shane Duffy and Jose Baxter.

Only replacement goalkeeper Carlo Nash has any vast first-team experience.

Moyes took his embattled troops to White Hart Lane where they faced Tottenham Hotspur in the Carling Cup fourth round in midweek and once again they slumped to defeat.

That match is followed by tricky games at home to Aston Villa, away at West Ham United and their return clash against Benfica.

Away games against Manchester United, one of the online favourites to win the Premier League title, and Hull City are to be negotiated before they face fierce city rivals Liverpool before the month of November draws to a close.

Everton, with an already small squad, have never felt the pinch of injury so painfully as in recent months.

First-team professionals such as Sylvain Distin, Tim Howard and Tim Cahill must lead the way and help grind out the results required to pull them away from the drop zone.

Collectively a fully-fit squad should be nowhere near the bottom three but reality bites and, with 11 established first-team players on the sidelines, Moyes needs to show his managerial strength to help the side out of their current plight.

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