Have cut and pasted this from the observer for your enjoyment..
David Moyes and Everton expose shortcomings of Manchester City excessEverton, the best-run club outside the top four, offer lessons that could be heeded at Eastlands
Mikel Arteta and Everton's fans had plenty to celebrate after exposing Manchester City's failings at Eastlands last Wednesday.
Just like every Manchester City supporter canvassed on the subject by Radio Four's Woman's Hour on Friday, this column was unaware the club enjoys the distinction of being the only one in the Premier League with a female founder. The daughter of a Gorton vicar, Anna Connell, was so distressed at the amount of time and money young men of the parish were wasting in the pub that in 1880 she formed a sports club to provide a healthier and more constructive alternative.
City's present owners doubtless have some empathy with those wholesome Victorian values, yet on Wednesday against Everton it looked as though the club's 130-year history had turned full circle. City are now driving their supporters to drink, arguably more so than ever because the stakes are so high. Judging by the rapidity with which the Eastlands stadium began to empty when Mikel Arteta scored a second goal for the club that began life as St Domingo's Sunday School, City fans are fed up with being promised the world and only shown ever more expensive ways in which to fail.
One would imagine a high proportion of the people who left early headed straight for licensed premises, which were where most of the rest of the country was watching the match (though that is another story). It is an interesting thought that had television existed 130 years ago football may well have been fought rather than fostered by the church and the reforming societies. Ms Connell would have been shocked to see how the outdoor pursuit she helped to promote now packs them in at the pub.
She would also have been astonished by the wages City are paying, because everyone is, and appalled at the lack of thrift. City have taken a huge financial hit over the mistake that was Robinho, paid well over the odds for Kolo Touré, Emmanuel Adebayor, Joleon Lescott and Roque Santa Cruz, sacked Mark Hughes at considerable expense and have still to convince most people that another managerial change is not imminent. All this was put into the sharpest possible perspective on Wednesday by the manner of their defeat to a side who know only too well they cannot compete financially, yet have proved time and time again that they can do the business on the pitch.
It is now being said, with reason, that Everton would have a Champions League place tied down had they not started the season slowly and suffered so many debilitating injuries. It might be added that they probably would have started the season better had they not been disrupted by the protracted and distasteful business of selling Lescott to City, and the subsequent need to buy and bed in replacements, even if Sylvain Distin and Johnny Heitinga have turned out to be excellent additions to David Moyes's squad. The real question to be asked, however, is where Everton would be in the table with a fraction of City's investment behind them, or even with the chance to rent a state-of-the-art stadium from the local council so that Bill Kenwright would not have to deter potential buyers with the news that a new home is an urgent priority.
That small detail (well, small compared to the sums of money at play) was what first attracted Abu Dhabi backers to a City takeover. It appears they imagined that with the stadium and the money in place, the football expertise could be bought in later. It now appears it may not be quite that simple, certainly if a fairly early return on investment was expected, and if Sheikh Mansour has been scrutinising City's results this season – to Moyes's enormous satisfaction Everton have thoroughly exposed them home and away – he may now be wondering whether it might not have been cheaper and more satisfying to buy into the best-run football club outside the top four and build a new Goodison somewhere along the way.
That is not going to happen now, much to Kenwright's chagrin. What is worse, the Everton chairman must realise that sooner or later City will come calling for Moyes. Being City, they will probably aim for José Mourinho first, yet top Champions League managers tend to go to top Champions League clubs and City have never kicked a ball in the Champions League.
Their first ambition ought to be to crack the top four, and while Roberto Mancini still has time to supervise that if results go his way and Wigan do not turn out to be too much of a handful tomorrow night, there is a manager at the other end of the East Lancs Road who has already done it on a shoestring and is certainly capable of doing it again.
Naturally, Moyes would turn down such an approach. Not because he believes City have no class, because he is still disgruntled over the Lescott affair, or because a scuffle broke out in the directors' box on Wednesday to mirror the one he was having with Mancini on the touchline. Moyes won't touch City because he has done enough to be regarded as the Manchester United manager in waiting. United will realise that, even if City do not. True, his European experience is limited, but his chances have been few and he is a quick learner. There is no better British manager, certainly not under pensionable age. And how else is Moyes going to keep tabs on Jack Rodwell?
So Moyes beats us twice means that the shiekh has made the wrong decision in joining City...
Everton would be romping the challenge for the top 4 slot had it not been for their poor start due to injuries..
Surely that means no strength in depth ?? Strength in depth is what any team needs to achieve top 4 no matter who they are.
moyes has been at everton for 8 years and they havent broken the top 4 ffs.
hes just a slightly better Mark Hughes.
almost but not quite.
Also...where the fuck are we in the table compared to Everton ??
we certainly are not looking up at them..
David Moyes and Everton expose shortcomings of Manchester City excessEverton, the best-run club outside the top four, offer lessons that could be heeded at Eastlands
Mikel Arteta and Everton's fans had plenty to celebrate after exposing Manchester City's failings at Eastlands last Wednesday.
Just like every Manchester City supporter canvassed on the subject by Radio Four's Woman's Hour on Friday, this column was unaware the club enjoys the distinction of being the only one in the Premier League with a female founder. The daughter of a Gorton vicar, Anna Connell, was so distressed at the amount of time and money young men of the parish were wasting in the pub that in 1880 she formed a sports club to provide a healthier and more constructive alternative.
City's present owners doubtless have some empathy with those wholesome Victorian values, yet on Wednesday against Everton it looked as though the club's 130-year history had turned full circle. City are now driving their supporters to drink, arguably more so than ever because the stakes are so high. Judging by the rapidity with which the Eastlands stadium began to empty when Mikel Arteta scored a second goal for the club that began life as St Domingo's Sunday School, City fans are fed up with being promised the world and only shown ever more expensive ways in which to fail.
One would imagine a high proportion of the people who left early headed straight for licensed premises, which were where most of the rest of the country was watching the match (though that is another story). It is an interesting thought that had television existed 130 years ago football may well have been fought rather than fostered by the church and the reforming societies. Ms Connell would have been shocked to see how the outdoor pursuit she helped to promote now packs them in at the pub.
She would also have been astonished by the wages City are paying, because everyone is, and appalled at the lack of thrift. City have taken a huge financial hit over the mistake that was Robinho, paid well over the odds for Kolo Touré, Emmanuel Adebayor, Joleon Lescott and Roque Santa Cruz, sacked Mark Hughes at considerable expense and have still to convince most people that another managerial change is not imminent. All this was put into the sharpest possible perspective on Wednesday by the manner of their defeat to a side who know only too well they cannot compete financially, yet have proved time and time again that they can do the business on the pitch.
It is now being said, with reason, that Everton would have a Champions League place tied down had they not started the season slowly and suffered so many debilitating injuries. It might be added that they probably would have started the season better had they not been disrupted by the protracted and distasteful business of selling Lescott to City, and the subsequent need to buy and bed in replacements, even if Sylvain Distin and Johnny Heitinga have turned out to be excellent additions to David Moyes's squad. The real question to be asked, however, is where Everton would be in the table with a fraction of City's investment behind them, or even with the chance to rent a state-of-the-art stadium from the local council so that Bill Kenwright would not have to deter potential buyers with the news that a new home is an urgent priority.
That small detail (well, small compared to the sums of money at play) was what first attracted Abu Dhabi backers to a City takeover. It appears they imagined that with the stadium and the money in place, the football expertise could be bought in later. It now appears it may not be quite that simple, certainly if a fairly early return on investment was expected, and if Sheikh Mansour has been scrutinising City's results this season – to Moyes's enormous satisfaction Everton have thoroughly exposed them home and away – he may now be wondering whether it might not have been cheaper and more satisfying to buy into the best-run football club outside the top four and build a new Goodison somewhere along the way.
That is not going to happen now, much to Kenwright's chagrin. What is worse, the Everton chairman must realise that sooner or later City will come calling for Moyes. Being City, they will probably aim for José Mourinho first, yet top Champions League managers tend to go to top Champions League clubs and City have never kicked a ball in the Champions League.
Their first ambition ought to be to crack the top four, and while Roberto Mancini still has time to supervise that if results go his way and Wigan do not turn out to be too much of a handful tomorrow night, there is a manager at the other end of the East Lancs Road who has already done it on a shoestring and is certainly capable of doing it again.
Naturally, Moyes would turn down such an approach. Not because he believes City have no class, because he is still disgruntled over the Lescott affair, or because a scuffle broke out in the directors' box on Wednesday to mirror the one he was having with Mancini on the touchline. Moyes won't touch City because he has done enough to be regarded as the Manchester United manager in waiting. United will realise that, even if City do not. True, his European experience is limited, but his chances have been few and he is a quick learner. There is no better British manager, certainly not under pensionable age. And how else is Moyes going to keep tabs on Jack Rodwell?
So Moyes beats us twice means that the shiekh has made the wrong decision in joining City...
Everton would be romping the challenge for the top 4 slot had it not been for their poor start due to injuries..
Surely that means no strength in depth ?? Strength in depth is what any team needs to achieve top 4 no matter who they are.
moyes has been at everton for 8 years and they havent broken the top 4 ffs.
hes just a slightly better Mark Hughes.
almost but not quite.
Also...where the fuck are we in the table compared to Everton ??
we certainly are not looking up at them..