Everton and Liverpool In Relegation Battle: Has The World Gone Mad?

I know. I know. It’s only seven games into the season, but I guarantee there wasn’t anyone predicting that after seven matches Liverpool and Everton would be desperately trying to keep their noses ahead of Wolves and West Ham.

At some point you have to the stop the “It’s only [insert number of matches] into the season” and figure out what to do about it. Seven matches equals roughly 20% of the season. Assuming that no team can simply throw a switch and perform a 180, how long can this go on before changes are contemplated? Are they really that bad? What are these two teams to do?

The first two canned phrases that come to mind are “Moyes has done all he can at Everton and it’s time for the club to move on.” Followed by “Hodgson is out of his depth with a big-time club like Liverpool.”

Is it really that simple? That’s not a loaded question. I am only asking. Would bringing in a new manager at this point really make a difference in terms of turning the ship around (and who would that be)? Are both teams’ problems merely a reflection of the managers’ abilities/inabilities or are they more a matter of lack of player talent/cohesiveness….or both?

In their present situations I don’t believe you can directly compare the two managers. Moyes has been with Everton since 2002, so you can fairly lay any player acquisition/development problems at his feet. Hodgson has been dealt a deck of cards he might rather not have, but nonetheless is responsible for developing to the best of his abilities. This is not a Moyes versus Hodgson question, but rather a “What’s to be done in each case?” scenario.

I am interested in reading your thoughts. What must each club do to right the ship….before it’s too late? Have at it.