David Moyes labels second half against Sunderland “abysmal”, calls for more consistency | OneFootball

David Moyes has called for his side to show more consistency during matches after suffering an “abysmal” second half in their 1-1 draw with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Monday.

The Blues got the better of the hosts for the opening 30 minutes of the contest and created a flurry of chances which was capped off by Iliman Ndiaye’s fantastic solo run and goal. However, missed chances cost them dearly as the Black Cats grew into the game with time and completely outplayed Everton in the second half.

Granit Xhaka scored just 40 seconds after the restart to restore parity and in the words of Moyes, the only positive from the second half was that his side didn’t concede a second goal.

Everton are winless in three matches as the draw with Regis Le Bris’ side was preceded by losses to Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur and Moyes wants his players to show their quality for longer spells.

"Yes, we want to keep it going. That's why I'm disappointed tonight, because I thought the second-half performance was way below the levels we've set generally, and I think we'd set the levels we think we're at in the first half for long periods. But it's not good enough if we're only doing it for 30 minutes. We need to be able to play well. We played quite well at Man City for 30 minutes, we played quite well against Tottenham for 30, 40 minutes, but it wasn't enough and it's not enough. We've got to find a way out – doing it for much longer periods than we're doing at the moment.”

Despite the way the match ended, Everton’s start to the game couldn’t have been better. They dominated possession inside the Sunderland half, created several interesting rotational moves around the opposition box and made constant forays. The Blues also pressed extremely well to recover the ball quickly as the Black Cats struggled to get out of their own half and relieve the pressure.

James Garner had the first stab at goal, shooting from distance inside the first minute and just missing the target. Ndiaye put the Toffees ahead after beating four defenders and slotting into the left corner.

Jack Grealish’s shot from outside the box was thwarted by the woodwork while Grealish almost had an assist just minutes later as his delicious cross to Thierno Barry was met with a ridiculous attempt that flew over the crossbar despite being just two yards away from goal.

"After a few minutes or so I was thinking, 'We've got this game, we're playing so well and if we keep this up then we'll be getting the goals'. We get one, hit the post twice, then Barry misses a big chance which would have made it 2-0. I thought that took the wind out of our sails a little bit. I think everybody sort of went, 'Oh my goodness, we didn't take the chance we got', because Sunderland are one of the best defensive teams in the league at the moment and not giving away too many opportunities.

"So to have got 2-0 up would have been a big thing for us and we didn't get it. I thought they became the better team in the last 15 minutes of the first half and they were certainly the better team for the majority of the second half. I thought we were absymal in the second half. We were resilient enough to stick and get a point out of it, but I'm a bit disappointed. I'm more disappointed with the performance today than I am with the point."

Reader Comments (18)

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Mal van Schaick 2 Posted 04/11/2025 at 13:52:48

There wasn’t a lot wrong with that first half performance, but as you would expect from a home team, they came out for the second half and upped the tempo and put us on the back foot. Moyes should have addressed that by strengthening the midfield.

I find it hard to believe that he is laying the abysmal tag on the players, when he and Irvine saw what we all saw, that Sunderland pressed harder up the pitch and they did nothing to combat that.

So the manager was disappointed with the second half performance, well Davey there lies the problem - the inability of the management team to make changes in order to have a positive impact on the game, but as with Man City and Spurs we prefer to let the game drift and then moan about it afterwards.What is the point in bringing on Charlie and Timmy in the 83rd minute when the previous 60 have been appalling.Our one dimensional approach to every game expecting different results is what got Dyche the sack. The Beto and Barry debate has raged for weeks neither look anywhere premier league standard but both play in some part every week. The decision making in the transfer and loan market (apart from Jack) has quite frankly been appalling. Changes need to be made, try Jack down the middle where he was his most effective at the Villa.Odds on the team selection for the Fulham game anyone.

Andy Crooks 4 Posted 04/11/2025 at 14:08:26

The second half performance was down to the utterly abysmal coach.I think that bringing McNeil on was up there with the cretinous Martinez against Southampton. Bringing Moyes back for a contract longer than six months was mad. He has stolen a living of Everton and is just as complicit as Kenwright

John Williams 6 Posted 04/11/2025 at 14:34:46

Sadly, Everton have some crap supporters and have done for a number of years,Moyes might not be the greatest manager around, but some of you guys would give Pep a hard time if he was Evertons manager and what is worrying, most of you don t have a clue about football management.You just like a moan, you probably moan about your next door neighbours, your doctor, the hospital and anything you don't agree with.Some of you need to grow up or shut up.

Andy Crooks 9 Posted 04/11/2025 at 15:02:11

Glad you feel qualified to call out fellow Evertonians as crap supporters, John. Nasty, smug little post.

Christy Ring 10 Posted 04/11/2025 at 15:03:56

John he’s probably right in that if we had scored that 2nd goal, we’d have probably have won comfortably, but Xhaka ran the show in the 2nd half, and Tim or Rohl should have been on before the hour mark, to shore up midfield, and when did McNeill ever play as a right winger? You don’t need to know too much about‘ football management’ to see that. Telling ToffeeWeb members to shut up or grow up, is definitely out of context, and makes little sense?

Steve Brown 11 Posted 04/11/2025 at 15:04:51

Slagging off your fellow Everton fans as they actually have expectations and standards.

You can’t sink much lower.

Daniel A Johnson 12 Posted 04/11/2025 at 15:06:45

Moyes is risk averse that applies to the players he likes and purchases and the coaching staff he likes to work with.

When he was manager of Sunderland instead of acquiring young fresh talent he opted to sign:

Darren Gibson

Bryan Oviedo

Joleon Lescott

Steven Pienaar

Victor Anichebe

Ex Everton players all well past it.

That tells you all you need to know about him.

Oh yeah they were relegated also.

We've been poor now for a few weeks. This makes me suspicious that something isn't right between the players and the management. The side we put out last night is the same as we played earlier in the season. Yet our goal came from the individual skill of Ndiaye rather than a team effort.All those signings in the summer but the only one we see on a regular basis is Grealish and KDH. Barry gets the odd appearance but Dibling and Anzou barely get a look in at all. Yet Dibling, Anzou and Barry cost the club £70 million + between them. So why aren't they on the pitch more regularly? Particularly Dibling since he was a regular in the Southampton side last season. So they can hardly say he has no PL experience. Dibling was on the bench last night but Moyes used McNeil instead. I just feel there is something going on and we're not being told about it. But until whatever it is gets sorted out we will continue to struggle.

Liam Mogan 15 Posted 04/11/2025 at 15:23:30

John 6 - you should write an update on that book, 'How to Win Friends and Influence People"

Jay Harris 16 Posted 04/11/2025 at 15:39:18

Let me start by saying we played a side, that would go second in the league with a win at their home ground with massive Jordie support, off the pitch for 30 minutes so lets give some credit and praise for that.

As far as I can see it the players automatically go to default defence afte taking a lead and drop far too deep no doubt encouraged by Keane, Tarks and Picks.

Barry was regularly found in his own half so we had no forward outlet and resorted to long boots up the pitch.

To me this is a lack of confidence and coaching so although I am certainly not in the Moyes out camp he is part of the problem currently.

I ask the same question as others when KDH tired notably because he was running around like a headless chicken why not bring Rohl on.

Why bring McNeill, who is not match fit and as slow as hell on to replace Ndiaye when we have Alcaraz and Dibling raring to get an opportunity.

Barry's head dropped visibly when he missed that golden chance why let him carry on. Make a change !!

To the whole team when we take a lead go for the throat while we have the momentum and the home crowd is discontent.

Moyes is correct in his summary of he game. He does fail to say that he is the only person who could have changed the formation and strategy.

It's all very well saying we were shite for 60 mins, do something about it!. The away fans were singing for Charlie Alcaraz with 30 mins to go but Moyes gives the lad 5 mins.

It's so obvious in every game a prem team will dominate our midfield as soon as we stop passing it and resort to percentage play.

Our whole system is built around kdh. Like the last couple of years it's been Doucoure. If kdh plays well we play well, if not we get overrun.

Moyes has plenty of options across midfield, he should be changing things.Our best 2 players are wingers so get the ball to both of them asap and then get it back asap once we lose it.

John 6.

When you say Everton you do mean "we" don't you? It makes you sound like your not a fan.

When I talk about other teams I refer to them by their name. When I talk about the blues its"Us" or "we"

The problem with our back up players, McNeill aside, who is currently bereft of confidence, is that they are not Moyes ready. Dibling, Röhl, Iro all have some talent, but don’t yet do the PL required hard yards covering and the defensive duties he expects.I doubt some of the Summer acquisitions were Moyes’. He’s not yet convinced by some of them. Maybe never will be. I’m not sure who scouted Barry, but I’d like to know. Where we a club who could invest in players for a few years time when we needed players on the pitch now…?