Improvement Through Change of Attitude

By Chris Kirwan
October 8 2002

It isn’t often that the Blues give a good account of themselves when on live television, especially away from Goodison against the top sides, but Monday’s performance at Old Trafford showed the rest of the country the strides forward that Everton have made under Moyes.

The Blues showed that they have steel and determination in abundance, but are also maintaining possession a lot better than under Smith. Although at times the ball seemed to be coming back far too quickly this is to be expected at Old Trafford, but for long periods in the first half Li Tie and Thomas Gravesen were doing a sterling job at hanging onto the ball, with the Dane drawing fouls of a frustrated Manchester United defence.

There still remain questions about the quality of our side in several key positions (with the right side of the midfield a cause for great concern), but the most encouraging progress under Moyes is that every player is playing to their maximum potential. The likes of Unsworth, Pembridge, and Carsley are not going to set the Premiership on fire, but whereas under Smith the average players looked worse than average, under Moyes nobody disgraces themselves.

I compare the work that Moyes is doing to that of Martin O’Neill at his various clubs; he knows the limitations of his squad and plays accordingly, given time he aims to improve the quality of the squad but will not be rushed into doing so. You often hear managers coming into a job saying that they have a five-year plan, but that is totally unrealistic, in the Premiership you have to play for the present. Moyes will add to his side gradually, but had not upset the balance of the side by making wholesale changes. Rather than changing the personnel Moyes has concentrated on changing the attitude of the squad. Moyes seems to instil self-belief into players, and nowhere is this better reflected than in the re-emergence of Kevin Campbell, and in the surfacing of Tony Hibbert.

Hibbert made fleeting appearances under Smith, but it has been under Moyes that he has really made an impression. This is may be no reflection on Smith, it could just be the coming of age of a young player, but it can only help that any young players with potential are coming into a side where they are encouraged to make an impression. Sometimes under Smith it seemed that the young players were merely a stopgap, and that once their more senior counterparts returned they would be straight back into the side. But Moyes makes it clear that he will pick the form players, and at present it is hard to see how Steve Watson will get back into the side.

There is clearly a lot of talent coming through the ranks, and you have to feel that there is a far greater opportunity for youngsters under Moyes than under Smith. But only those with the right attitude, and the team ethic that Moyes has instilled form 1 to 11, will make it. And Moyes’ comments after the match made it clear where the attitude and determination apparent in his players comes from, "The players have done a wonderful job over the past few weeks but we don't pat ourselves on the back when we come here and it's 3-0. We want to get results at places like this and we have to make sure that we don't lose the goals and then we can pat ourselves on the back”. With this sort of attitude instilled at all levels of the club then we will continue to impress and develop.