Keeping up with the Moyeses

I was talking with a Bluenose today and, as much as it pained me to say it, I had to concede that I think they have a better midfield than we do. That was unimaginable a couple of years ago when we began the 2007-08 season with Alonso and Mascherano as the preferred pairing and Sissoko, Lucas and one Steven Gerrard providing further cover. Now we are left with Lucas, Meireles, Poulsen and a much deteriorated Steven Gerrard. I’m optimistic that Meireles will prove to be a decent player but Alonso he is not. Poulsen looks every bit like a Fulham-type player and I’ve stated on numerous occasions that I think Lucas is a decent squad player but you can’t expect to challenge for trophies with him as a first choice midfielder.

Unbelievably, I find myself looking with envious eyes across to Goodison Park where they can field Cocoa the Clown (a.k.a. Marouane Fellaini), Steven Pienaar, Tim Cahill, Mikel Arteta, Jack Rodwell and Leon Osman. Rodwell in particular reminds me of a young Stevie G and more promising than anyone we have. I would swap him for Joe Cole in a heartbeat. Comparing Fellaini with Poulsen is like comparing Fernando Torres with Andrily Voronin. Pienaar is the equal of Dirk Kuyt but younger. Cahill has shown better form than Gerrard over the last year (and greater motivation). Phil Neville is of similar standard to Lucas. Will Meireles be better than Arteta? It’s debatable. Leon Osman is a decent workhorse who is perhaps more in tune with the English game than Maxi Rodriguez. Then there is that Russian dude (Diniyar Bilyaletdinov) whom I don’t rate so is therefore on a par with Milan Jovanovic. The potential aces in our pack are Pacheco and Babel but (a) our manager has yet to seriously use them and (b) his tactics would certainly not allow them to do the thing they do best – attack.

It gives me no pleasure to state this and I dearly hope I am wrong but I believe that without intervention such as new owners and/or the dismissal of Hodgson, Everton will finish above Liverpool this season – and get the better of the two derbies.

There, I said it. I hope I am wrong.