Crystal Palace vs Everton: Player Ratings

If you wanted a case study on how to let a tired opponent off the hook, look no further than today’s 2-2 draw at Selhurst Park. Facing a Palace side likely still nursing hangovers from their midweek European heroics, Everton once again showed the tactical flexibility of a lamp post.

Another dreadful result from a winning position effectively kills any lingering European pipe dreams.

The Moyesiah's Mid-Table Mediocrity

Let’s be real: Palace were there for the taking. They’ve played a ridiculous amount of football lately, and we had a week to prepare. Instead of going for the jugular, we sat back after Tarkowski’s early opener and invited them onto us.

The second half was even worse. Despite Beto putting us back in front, the inevitability of the equalizer from Everton tormentor-in-chief Jean-Phillipe Mateta felt like a slow-motion car crash.

We lacked any "dogs of war" mentality to see it out, and the substitutions — or lack thereof — were vintage David Moyes: too little, too late, and too ineffective.

Subs: Thierno Barry (N/A), Tyrique George (N/A), Charly Alcaraz (N/A). Too little, too late..

The Moyesiah Complex

The narrative will be "it's a tough place to go" and "Palace are a good side." The reality is we are 10th and drifting. Without Grealish and Branthwaite, the lack of depth and tactical imagination is glaring. We had the fresh legs and the lead twice, yet we settled for a point as if we were fighting relegation.

If this was the "final effort" for Europe, it was a whimper, not a bang. We’re safe, but Moyes is so godamn boring. I really don't feel like giving him any points.

Reader Comments (14)

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Jim Bennings 3 Posted 10/05/2026 at 16:41:18

I wouldn't give any one more than a 6 today.

We were overrun at times by a team that played a match on Thursday night, we looked knackered and Moyes reluctance to give games to the likes of George, Aznou, Dibling and the same old tired central defenders at fullbacks like O'Brien which should have been binned last May.

Ndiaye was poor, good footwork, no end product, the old all fart no shit phrase comes to mind.

Dewsbury-Hall was disappointing today and should have killed the game off at 1-0 up.

The Moyes obsession with the Barry for Beto sub is not needed, Beto was fine he was playing well, yet Moyes subs him off and again especially not for the first time away from home, we lose all the impetus fast, ball not sticking.

Another poor season lost and barely any progress made.

Steve Brown 4 Posted 10/05/2026 at 16:50:35

Mike, very generous 6 for Tarkowski.

And Moyes gets a 3 for selecting Tarkowski and Keane again as the centre-back pairing.

Tarkowski’s defending when Mateta almost won the game in injury time should have come wth a laughter track.

Ian Pilkington 5 Posted 10/05/2026 at 16:56:42

Barry was on for an inexplicable 20 minutes which deserves more than a N/A. I’d give him 3. And I go along with Michael regarding Moyes. Palace have played 56 competitive matches this season compared to our 39, yet he is unwilling or unable to raise our game against them.

Ian Bennett 6 Posted 10/05/2026 at 16:58:51

The defence is garbage, all of them.

The midfield coughed possession to easily.

The attack couldn't take their chances.

Subs had zero impact.

Keane & Tarkowski zero. Finger pointing at each other, when a striker pulled off them.

Criminal defending again.

Joe McMahon 7 Posted 10/05/2026 at 17:01:43

The substitutions, and timing of them was textbook Moyes. How on earth will Charly feel? At 63 years of age, hes not going to change is he. He just hasn't evolved. The treatment of younger players is disgraceful.

Sick to my back teeth of him, and let's face it this morose bore will be here next season for his 13th as Everton manager.

Craig Walker 8 Posted 10/05/2026 at 17:13:51

Ndiaye is talented but he needs to start drawing players and releasing the ball. Once he beats one man, it goes to his head. He cost us in the City game. We have very few players who can shoot.

Tarkowski and Keane have been good servants but they cost us games, time and again.

Fed up of seeing Barry ambling around, often sulking.

You knew we needed a 2 goal cushion, at least. In the end, I think we were lucky to take a point. Mateta offered them something. Our subs didn’t.

We’re not ready for Europe. We’d be in a relegation dogfight if we were playing on Thursdays.

Jim Bennings 10 Posted 10/05/2026 at 17:22:36

Had a feeling when we lost the derby that we wouldn't win another game this season, reckon I'll be proven right now.

We'll struggle to beat Sunderland, they are a decent side and will see it as a chance to finish above us, in the main we've been pretty much inept at home most of the season, I can't see next Sunday being a great deal different.

Then it's away to Spurs where we'll no doubt make them look like Real Madrid as we usually do when we travel down there.

All in all it's been a disappointing ending to a season that around New Year promised better than it's given, coupled with two crappy early round Cup exits, just feels as though not much has changed again.

Kevin Naylor 11 Posted 10/05/2026 at 17:30:42

Just feels like a typical Moyes season to me, some highs but on the whole disappointing (especially losing to the RS twice).

John Collins 12 Posted 10/05/2026 at 17:33:49

Bland is the word Kevin. Beige football club under Moyes

Kevin Naylor 13 Posted 10/05/2026 at 17:35:29

Also very predictable John.

Dave Abrahams 14 Posted 10/05/2026 at 17:45:34

Michael (O/P) Rohl was selected today mainly to help O’Brien defend so you should have taken 3 points off O’Brien and given them to Rohl who I thought had another good game.

With defenders Tarkowski had around him today he deserved every one of them points and that’s without his goal and the long pass up towards Beto for our second goal, he made mistakes but got us out of trouble quite a few times too.

15 Posted 10/05/2026 at 18:01:05

The only reason some are happy with this season is because relegation was never an item on the agenda. Now that is some aspiration! This is what I want- NEVER lose to the shite at home and always make the game at Mordor contentious, nasty and spiteful. Those 2 fixtures are non negotiable and should define every season at Everton- until we have this city back on a football basis and are more successful than them. Whether you like it or not, they are the yardstick in the City and must be beaten, humiliated regularly in the first instance. That's just the start of it. Get that bloody monkey off our backs and keep them there- forever. I want a team full of narks who respect no teams and show zero sympathy to anyone,and go out to hammer any team they play. Non stop onslaught from start to finish. I want no teams in this league looking forward to visiting HD- and lower league teams knowing they are going to get smashed and shown zero respect. That's what winners do,and that's what I want. Moyes won't deliver any of this. Get a manager who wants "in" on the project and buy loads of younger, narky sods who want to rip this current melee apart and start bloodying a few noses in the PL. This is not currently acceptable to me, the last 4,no 5 league games should have all been won- every opposition were there for the taking and the players and manager blew it. About time EFC started setting a few precedents on what is and isn't acceptable and only the highest of standards applies. Only 1 point better off this season after spending 100 odd million aint acceptable. Standards define life and indeed sport,so start showing some EFC.