The ECHO’s Blues writers reflect on two months of David Moyes
It has been some two months since David Moyes returned to Everton. Eleven games later and the Blues have tasted defeat just twice – and only once in the league.
The new boss has revived a flagging club that was sinking towards a fourth consecutive relegation battle and inspired a run that has them safe by March.
There have been plenty of highlights along the way and, here, some of the ECHO’s Blues writers reflect on what they think have been Moyes’ biggest successes.
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Paul Wheelock
It’s hard to look past James Tarkowski’s glorious injury-time equaliser in the last Merseyside derby against Liverpool at Goodison Park. It truly was one of those ‘I was there’ moments.
But I think David Moyes’ best achievement since returning to Everton has been making supporters look forward to the final season at Goodison again. Sean Dyche, for all the good work he did at the club, made a terrible mistake with the comments he made before a ball had even been kicked on the final campaign in L4.
He tried to play the historic season down, suggesting that just because it was the club’s last at the famous old ground, that it would not mean that better results would necessarily follow on the pitch.
Yes, Dyche had it hard at Everton, but it was the last thing supporters wanted to hear and contributed to the flat mood that some of the dire displays served up at home then heightened.
Now no manager knows Blues fans better than Moyes but, from his very first press conference, he changed the mood around the club completely, with the words he said in public to the way his players have taken to games on the field.
Teams coming to Goodison know now that Everton will not sit back and will not give up the ghost. We saw it again on Saturday, against West Ham United, and most spectacularly, of course, against Liverpool.
Matt Jones
The win over Tottenham and the last-gasp draw against Liverpool were eye-catching results for Moyes, but I think the most important win was at Brighton & Hove Albion.
After losing Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Orel Mangala and having to play out the final stages with 10 men, to hold on to a one-goal lead represented a colossal effort from the Blues. Afterwards, when Moyes rushed onto the pitch to embrace his players and celebrate, it felt like something had truly shifted at Everton.
Sean Dyche had served a purpose as Blues boss of course, but the distant approach he had with the squad and the supporters left Everton feeling like a cold place. On the south coast, when the players celebrated with Moyes in front of the away end, it felt like the blood was back in our veins.
It was also the day Everton realistically became safe from major relegation danger, as they moved seven points clear of the drop zone with a game in hand over their rivals at the foot of the table.
Factor in Iliman Ndiaye’s hilarious celebration and the fume from the home supporters and players throughout the match – especially amid some ugly scenes after the final whistle – it was just about a perfect away day.
Joe Thomas
The derby was a huge performance that ended as it deserved, with Everton supporters celebrating a moment to savour. While that is the obvious highlight of Moyes’ second coming, I’m going to pick the first half against Spurs as my alternative favourite.
There were a lot of nerves heading into that game. There had been no perfect start against Aston Villa and the London side arrived on Merseyside with a squad that had the potential to pose a real threat to a flailing Blues, even if they too had injuries to deal with.
Yet this was the afternoon it truly felt like Moyes had arrived and that first 45 minutes could not have gone better. Dominic Calvert-Lewin broke his goal drought with a really cute goal and Ndiaye looked properly unleashed as he flew down the wing and rifled home.
The standout moment for me – and one Moyes liked that I picked up on after the game – was the intent to get that third goal in first half stoppage time.
So much of life under Dyche was about protecting what Everton had rather than striving for more. Two weeks earlier, those same players would have played it back to Jordan Pickford when the late corner was cleared, ensuring there were no setbacks heading into the break.
Instead Everton went for the jugular and forced the third goal that proved so crucial.
The opportunism and ruthlessness was refreshing – and repeated again next time at Goodison as Everton put Leicester City to the sword.
Had they found another against Manchester United then that would have been my favourite moment. I loved how for 70 minutes Everton bullied their opponents so it was frustrating for that win to slip from their fingers – though understandable given the effort those players had exerted across the previous weeks (and it should have been a penalty).
