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It’s quite possibly last week’s news, but you’ve got to admit,&nbsp;the spat and potential bust up between Everton’s David Moyes and Manchester City’s Roberto Mancini was a little taste of some quality entertainment. EPL Talk&nbsp;has never&nbsp;condoned football related violence by any means, but the occasional scuffle between two passionate managers, in this case, one of them Scottish and the other Italian, definitely made&nbsp;an intense&nbsp;moment into a lasting and enjoyable memory.
In the end, the altercation that never amounted to much besides handbags, resulted in an FA&nbsp;charge against Mancini for his instigation&nbsp;while the incident resulted in a&nbsp;warning for Moyes for his supposed retaliation. The scuffle really was minor in it’s own right as both managers showed respect for one another after the dust cleared, and were even reported to have shared a drink in Mancini’s office after the match.&nbsp;But the clashing of managers raises an interesting question as to who would have emerged victorious had the situation escalated to blows and&nbsp;or a&nbsp;full fledged fight.
I’ll now attempt to break down both opponents strengths and weaknesses to allow you the reader to&nbsp;predict a winner if ever the two meet again.
<ul>
<li>David Moyes, Scottish – Aged 46, (6 ft 1 in). Former center half for Celtic. Enjoyed a journeyman-type career appearing for some seven different clubs before working his way up to manager for Preston North End.</li>
</ul>
Let’s face it, the Scots are a brave and fiery lot. They “get stuck in” with the best of them. I’ve seen Moyes more times than I can remember on the touch line at Everton getting into a player or ref with enough passion and heart to scare off the toughest of would be opponents.
Moyes has a mostly working class background hailing from Bearsden, a suburb of Glasgow, where oddly enough, fellow countryman and Premier League&nbsp;manager&nbsp;Alex McLeish and Alex Kapranos (lead singer of indie band Franz Ferdinand) also hail from.
Obvious Strengths– A natural born Brave-heart, Moyes could take a few shots and keep coming at you. He’d most likely get hit in a fight first, but wouldn’t be phased, and the first punch would probably fuel him on. Could also trade verbal tirades with the best of&nbsp; them. So if you’re easily intimidated, Moyes could have you shaking in your boots before you worked up the courage to strike.
Weakness– Emotions could cloud his vision and judgement. Could be dominated by a more patient and technical fighter.
Secret Weapon – The headbutt
<ul>
<li>Roberto Mancini, Italian– Aged 45, (6 ft 0 in). Striker for Lazio and&nbsp;Leicester to name a few. Great playing career and so far, very good managerial career.</li>
</ul>
As fiery as the Scots can be, so too can the Italians. Known more for their smarts and organization in a fight, what Mancini would give up in sheer brawn, he would gain back in street smarts. Don’t let the long, well-maintained hair and scarf fool you, Mancini has been around the block and faced some of the toughest center backs in Italian and English football in his playing days.
Obvious Strengths– Some would say Mancini would fight dirty, I disagree. I think&nbsp;he would fight smart and defensive (Catenaccio anyone?). He’d allow his opponent to make the first move or two and counter attack to fit his fighting style. Whether or not this tactic would be enough to win over his opponent is yet to be seen, but it would allow Mancini the vital few moments needed in combat to gain a read and understanding of his opponent. This very characteristic could give Mancini the edge to win in a close fight.
Weakness– Hot temper could be his undoing if he let it get the better of his intellect. Also, fighting the smart fight doesn’t always work. Would have to be on his toes if he let his opponent dictate the pace of the encounter.
Secret Weapon – Shin rake
The Verdict– For me, it’s too close to call. Both men are very close in age, height and weight. Both are of a passionate manner with Moyes probably gaining the slight edge when it comes to getting himself all hot and bothered, while Mancini seems to play it cool most of the time.
If it ever kicked off between the two managers, it’d be an interesting contest. Let’s hope it never does, but thanks to the both of them for giving us that unforgettable moment last week when we&nbsp;just thought it would.

Who Would Win in a Real Fight Between David Moyes and Roberto Mancini? - World Soccer Talk

Who Would Win in a Real Fight Between David Moyes and Roberto Mancini?

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On August 15th 2009, Everton faced Arsenal on a sun drenched, season opener and lost 6-1. Joleon Lescott pulled on a royal blue shirt that afternoon despite reinforcing his desire to leave Goodison Park and angering manager David Moyes. The team were without influential performers such as Phil Jagielka and Mikel Arteta and looked to be careering dangerously towards a long, hard season. How times change. Five months later, Everton are sitting pretty in eighth place and within touching distance of a second successive Europa League campaign.
Since that opening day shambles, Toffees have beaten Chelsea, drawn at Arsenal and more recently this weekend battled to a 3-1 victory at home to Manchester United. Moyes’s men suffered a shaky start and conceded early as Dimitar Berbatov poked home on the turn from 8 yards out, after a bullet of a low cross from Antonio Valencia. The goal served as a wake up call for the home side as Diniyar Bilyaletdinov thumped home from 20 yards into the bottom right hand corner just three minutes later. The Russian international took advantage of a poor headed clearance from Johnny Evans to score his fifth goal of the season.

As the second half commenced, Everton’s Phil Neville was assured defensively and Bilyaletdinov and Landon Donovan were majestic in their offensive play and passing. United began to struggle to find avenues to explore as their Merseyside opponents snuffed out crosses&nbsp; and denied any entry into their 18 yard box. The introduction of fresh youngsters Dan Gosling and Jack Rodwell provided a cutting edge Everton needed. This was a stroke of genius from Moyes as his substitutions changed the game. Stephen Pienaar and Donovan linked up tidily on the left side as if they’d played together all of their career, and Pienaar’s angled cross found Gosling who bundled in from 8 yards out to deservedly give his side a 2-1 advantage. In the dying minutes, 19 year old Rodwell took the ball from the halfway line, cantered past Evans whilst heading away from goal, and calmly fired the ball from his laces low into the bottom left of the goal. Moyes’s side are so often dismantled by injuries and star players Marouane Fellaini and Tim Cahill were unfit this weekend, ironically leaving places for two youngsters in Rodwell and Gosling to steal the show.
Moyes has crafted a squad beautifully, with academy players such as Leon Osman and more recently Gosling and Rodwell blending into the first team seamlessly. Pienaar, Bilyaletdinov and Fellaini were relative unknowns before joining from the German, Belgian and Russian leagues and transforming into irreplaceable talismen. The Scot, Moyes, also has Neville in the form of his career at the age of 33. The ex England man grafts hard ironing out any errors in defence and is a reliable figure who is good in the air.
Former Preston North End manager Moyes has to be celebrated for the way he was managed his squad with limited money and limited resources. This season and last term, Tim Cahill and Marouane Fellaini have played as makeshift strikers due to crippling, long term injuries to James Vaughan, Yakubu and Louis Saha. Cahill and Fellaini gave a decent return for midfielders masquerading as forwards and scored 16 goals between them last season. Australian international Cahill is truly deadly from set pieces, with his cunning runs and unbelievable spring and heading power for a man under 6 foot. Fellaini has gained a reputation as a hard tackler and an adroit runner with the ball. He too is a danger from set pieces. The loss of loanee Donovan to his parent club LA Galaxy will be a blow to the Blue half of Merseyside but Mikel Arteta is playing his way back to full fitness at the moment.
You talk about Wenger, Ancelotti, Benitez and Ferguson as esteemed managers, but the flame haired Everton boss deserves his recognition too. A top four finish, European football, an FA Cup Final and exciting youngsters have all been brought to Everton by Moyes. Let us not forget it was Moyes who unleashed Wayne Rooney onto the footballing world, when he shocked Everton’s recent 6-1 conquerors Arsenal with a curling beauty from outside the box. Rooney may have gone onto bigger and better things but had the face of a well beaten man when he shook his former mentor’s hand at the end of 90 minutes last weekend.

Moyes Continues Everton Midas Touch - World Soccer Talk

Moyes Continues Everton Midas Touch

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U.S. international star Landon Donovan has arrived in England and made his first public appearance today for Everton, the club he has joined on loan for the next 10 weeks.
Donovan arrived at Goodison Park for the second half of the Toffees FA Cup win against Carlisle. He flew in to Manchester Airport on Saturday morning and then made the journey to Liverpool according to <a href="http:\/\/www.evertonfc.com/news/archive/exclusive-donovan-at-goodison.html" target="_blank">Everton FC</a>. And was later introduced to his Everton teammates by manager David Moyes.
On Monday, Donovan will officially sign his Everton paperwork to secure the loan to Everton and will then join up with Moyes and his Everton teammates for training in preparation for their game against Arsenal next Saturday, which will be televised live in the United States on Setanta Sports at 10am ET.
No word yet on whether Donovan will get his start for Everton against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, but stay tuned to both this site and our sister site, Major League Soccer Talk, who will be doing a <a href="http:\/\/www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/new-features-at-mls-talk/7623" target="_blank">Landon Donovan Watch</a> during his time at Everton.

Landon Donovan Arrives At Everton - World Soccer Talk

Landon Donovan Arrives At Everton

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The last dance of the season, of every season, the FA Cup Final is the jewel in the English Football Crown. Last year’s final between&nbsp;Cardiff and Portsmouth&nbsp;was arguably the exception, but this year’s certainly isn’t:
Underdogs Everton come into the final for the first time in 14 years, since Joe Royle’s infamous ‘dogs of war’ – led by the terrifying Duncan Ferguson – beat Manchester United in a final that was described by many as “rubbish”. This is David Moyes’ first appearance in an English&nbsp;FA Cup Final, as either a player or manger, but with the experienced Phil Neville leading the side, there is no shortage of big match experience. Neville himself&nbsp;is going for his&nbsp;fourth FA Cup triumph, after wins in 1996, 1999 and 2004 with Manchester United. A crucial penalty&nbsp;in the semi final against his former club, he says,&nbsp;was the first time that he&nbsp;really&nbsp;“felt like an Everton player” despite being captain for two years. Hmmm. Unfortunately,&nbsp;talented centre&nbsp;half&nbsp;Phil Jagielka misses out on the Wembley&nbsp;showpiece with a knee&nbsp;injury sustained in a game against Manchester City on 25th April. Nigerian Joseph Yobo is likely to take his place in the back four.
Favourites Chelsea&nbsp;bid a fond&nbsp;farewell to Guus Hiddink on Saturday, after the dutchman guided the Blues to third position in the league and a European Cup semi final, as well as tomorrow’s FA Cup Final. Midfield maestro Frank Lampard&nbsp;has been passed fit to play as Chelsea are&nbsp;bidding to add to their FA Cup haul of&nbsp;four, the last of those being in 2007, where a Didier Drogba goal in extra time saw off league&nbsp;champions&nbsp;Manchester United. Like Moyes, this is&nbsp;Hiddink’s first taste of&nbsp;an&nbsp;English FA Cup Final, but as a European Cup winner with PSV in 1988, he is no stranger to success and the battle of wits between the Scot and the Dutchman could be where this game could be decided.
You better<a href="http:\/\/epltalk.com/fa-cup-final-live-blog-everton-v-chelsea/7961"> add this to your favourites </a>before you go to bed because&nbsp;&nbsp;it’s an early start American viewers, so bring your coffee and join me at around 9.30 EDT (2.30pm GMT, so not that early my fellow Brits) for this season’s denouement. Should be a good one. Maybe. <a href="http:\/\/www.coveritlive.com/index.php?option=com_altcaster&amp;task=siteviewaltcast&amp;altcast_code=ec1d6fab63&amp;height=550&amp;width=470" target="_blank">Click Here</a> for the live blog.
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Editor’s Note: During the FA Cup Final live blog/chat experience on EPL Talk today, host Michael Scallon will be awarding an official EPL Talk T-Shirt to one lucky winner. Log in to find out how to win.

FA Cup Final Live Blog: Everton v Chelsea - World Soccer Talk

FA Cup Final Live Blog: Everton v Chelsea

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David Moyes has spent over a decade managing clubs in English football, hitting his peak over the last couple of seasons after some strange yo-yo performances by the Merseyside club in prior years.
He has earned a spot in the Champions League and secured UEFA Cup play twice, likely a third time straight this year around, all on a budget that would please Arsene Wenger.&nbsp; Even the 10 million + pound signings have looked quality, especially in light of 20 million + flops such as Veron, Shevchenko, and Keane from the Big Four.
More importantly than all of this is that a vacancy in one of the Big Four management is likely to open in the next few years, so let’s examine each case.
Chelsea
The London hotseat would probably be the most dangerous place for him to go simply because Roman demands results and prefers them over stability, which Moyes has brought to Everton for three years.&nbsp; The upside is that this is the job most likely to become available, and needs a manager (should Hiddink depart like he says he will) like Moyes who can build a team to compete in the future.&nbsp; Given his nose in the transfer market and a slightly larger budget than Everton can afford, Moyes at Chelsea for years to come could be a deadly combination, but only if Roman gives him time.
Manchester United
Sir Alex is going to retire; Sir Alex wants to win two more European trophies; Mourinho is taking over next year; Mourinho wants to stay at Inter and then move to Spain and then back to Chelsea and then Man U and then the Portuguese national team (where will he find the years?) and then conquer the universe.
The rumors have been circulating, but realistically Sir Alex will retire in the next few seasons.&nbsp; He is approaching 70, has won everything there is to win (of real importance) at least twice, is&nbsp; a Manchester United legend, and has so far outlasted all of his rivals, superstars with super-egos, etc.
Ferguson has spoken of the importance of stability, so it is doubtful that a “project” coach like Mourinho will appeal to the United hierarchy.&nbsp; However, everybody loves to win, and no one denies Mourinho’s knack for it.&nbsp; Regardless, Moyes should be considered, if only because Sir Alex has lauded him as a fantastic coach.&nbsp; On the downside, Moyes has never won anything but a League 2 championship, and does not have a proven European record, but to be fair, he doesn’t have the squad depth to be competitive on so many fronts.&nbsp; With a squad like United, he might showcase his talents on the continent as well as in England.
Arsenal
I consider David Moyes to be Arsene Wenger-lite, minus the pseudo-intellectual pretensions and the preference for all things French.
In all seriousness though, David Moyes might be the ideal replacement for Wenger should he leave.&nbsp; He knows how to stretch a budget, which the “selling club” Arsenal apparently need; he knows how to get the best out of players (such as Mikel Arteta); and as far as I can tell, he commands respect and loyalty from the players, club and fans.
What more could Arsenal want?&nbsp; They haven’t won with Wenger for quite some time, and so maybe the time is right for fresh blood, a new approach to signing players, etc.&nbsp; Give him a few years to seriously compete for the Premier League title, the Champions League, and the FA Cup, and see if he can’t hit the heights that Wenger has.
Liverpool
Rafa Benitez just signed a five year contract, so I doubt Liverpool will be in the market for a new coach anytime soon.&nbsp; It would also be outrageous if the Reds signed their crosstown rival’s coach, especially when Moyes referred to Everton as “the people’s club” in contrast to ‘pool.&nbsp; The odds of this happening are probably slimmer than Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Messi playing together at Real Madrid.
Conclusion
All in all, I’d say it is time for the Everton man to step onto the big stage and test himself.&nbsp; He has proved himself to be wel above adequate in managing at the highest level of English football, but hasn’t had the resources to build a squad with the depth and quality to compete in multiple, top-level competetions.&nbsp; He has the experience yet he is young enough to be appealing to any club who wants someone to stay for many years.&nbsp; Sorry Everton fans, but if Moyes has the ambition, he should move on to one of the Big Four.

Is David Moyes Ready for a Big Four Management Position? - World Soccer Talk

Is David Moyes Ready for a Big Four Management Position?

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Sorry Drogba, but I have to call BS on this one.
After spending this season doing more sulking than any professional football player should be allowed to do by law, and in a week where Marseille’s president has said he wants Drogba back, Didier Drogba has attempted to shut people up by saying <a href="http:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article2255717.ece?OTC-RSS&amp;ATTR=Football" target="_blank">he wants to stay</a> at Chelsea. He even wants to get a contract extension.
Look Drogba, get out. After showing your lack of professionalism by not bothering to fight for your spot up front when Scolari was around, you think that it’s okay to all of a sudden have a change of heart because of the new manager? You think it’s okay to do more flopping around than Cristiano Ronaldo and Steven Gerrard combined? Even worse to me, you think it’s okay to take your jolly sweet time to come back from injury? Yes I will admit that by that time, Scolari had had enough of your dog and pony act and your attitude deserved nothing but the bench. However when you are benched, you fight for a spot on the team, not fight to get the manager removed.
It’s going to an awfully long time for me as a Chelsea fan to warm back up to your performances. If you only had the balls to play like you did against Liverpool in last season’s Champions League semi-final second leg, you might actually be respected as a footballer. Instead, your words ring hollow, no one cares about your prepared statement.
Other Stories 
So Jimmy Bullard is going to be out another lengthy spell of time. This time, Hull City could be without their record signing for up to <a href="http:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article2255786.ece?OTC-RSS&amp;ATTR=Football" target="_blank">nine months</a>. While Fulham is sitting back <a href="http:\/\/www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/hull/article5769244.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&amp;attr=796995" target="_blank">counting their money</a>, Hull City have to be wondering if Bullard will be able to get anywhere near the form he had coming back for Fulham. At 30, that’s going to be a difficult task. Yes <a href="http:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1150743/Hull-chairman-denies-Bullard-bad-investment-midfielder-ruled-seven-months.html?ITO=1490" target="_blank">Paul Duffen</a>, this was a gamble that didn’t pay off.
What’s 2 weeks to <a href="http:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1150202/Fresh-setback-Eduardo-Arsenal-striker-faces-weeks-sidelines.html?ITO=1490" target="_blank">Eduardo</a>? The time it will take to come back from the hammy he suffered in his return to Arsenal first team action.
You have to give David Moyes credit. He is going to do everything in his power to make sure <a href="http:\/\/www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/feb/19/jack-rodwell-everton-david-moyes" target="_blank">Jack Rodwell and Dan Gosling</a> gradually work their way into regular first team action. The last thing Everton need is for these two to have something happen where they have to be built back up from scratch. I think these two will be just fine.
<a href="http:\/\/www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/manchester-united-2009-is-this-the-premier-leagues-greatest-ever-squad-1626934.html" target="_blank">Ian Herbert</a> is asking if this Manchester United squad is the greatest Premier League team ever?
<a href="http:\/\/www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/feb/19/newcastle-united-joe-kinnear-hospital" target="_blank">Joe Kinnear</a> looks set to leave the hospital this weekend. I hope part of his orders is to not watch Newcastle/Everton on Sunday.
Here’s <a href="http:\/\/www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_4943308,00.html" target="_blank">Christopher Samba</a> coming out and saying that Blackburn are ‘too good to go down’. Umm..sure.
And finally, <a href="http:\/\/www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/feb/20/west-ham-gianfranco-zola-criticises-benchwarmers" target="_blank">Giofranco Zola</a> goes off on the bencher. You know, the big shot at the small club who takes the big contract to ride the bench at a bigger club.

Drogba Wants to Stay at Chelsea - World Soccer Talk

Drogba Wants to Stay at Chelsea

<a href="http:\/\/epltalk.com/2013/04/04/everton-will-have-to-break-60-point-barrier-to-secure-european-qualification-says-moyes-the-daily-epl/david-moyes/" rel="attachment wp-att-52397"></a><div><figure class="image"><a href="http:\/\/epltalk.com/2013/04/04/everton-will-have-to-break-60-point-barrier-to-secure-european-qualification-says-moyes-the-daily-epl/david-moyes/" rel="attachment wp-att-52397"></a></figure></div>
Everton manager David Moyes has finally ended months of speculation by signing a new five-year contract with the club, worth a reported £16.5million. Some have said that Moyes’ failure to sign the deal has contributed to the Toffees poor start to the season, with the club currently in 15th place with eight points from their opening seven matches. Not only has their league form been poor but they already find themselves out of the Carling Cup and the Uefa Cup just two months into the new campaign. However will Moyes’ signature really help the Merseyside club our or are they destined for a tough season?
Last season Everton very nearly made the Champions League and had a very good year by their own standards. Since Moyes took over at Goodison Park in 2002 the only way has been up for the ‘peoples club’ but this season it looks as though Moyes magic may be beginning to wear off. Its not just Everton’s poor start but the fact that they don’t look like the same team they were 12 months ago, Joeleon Lescott and Joseph Yobo looked like rocks in heart of the Everton defence last time around.&nbsp; However this season they look like they have never played together before. Right through the team things don’t seem right, perhaps its because of Mikel Arteta, who they rely on so heavily as a creative influence has been lacking this season or maybe its because Tim Cahill has been struggling on and off with injuries. These two are instrumental for Everton but neither have quite managed to hit the heights of last season and with Arsenal away this weekend&nbsp; Everton’s <a href="http:\/\/betting.betfair.com/football/premiership/">Premier League odds</a> don’t look like they are going to improve.
So will Moyes agreeing his contract sort all this out? Probably not because the clubs future is still surrounded with uncertainty. Chairman Bill Kenwright has admitted he would be interested in selling the club and with the help of Keith Harris the two have begun a search for potential buyers. Kenwright has admitted that the club need to find some financial backing if they are to compete with the ‘big four’ along with completing the proposed new stadium.
So as one cloud is lifted another still remains in the form of the future of the whole club and the question must be asked whether this is a bigger doubt than Moyes’ new contract ever could be. For example with new owners will come new ideas on how the club should be run and those might not include David Moyes or perhaps a proportion of the current squad. Whilst the sale of Everton is probably months, possibiliy even years away, these doubts may still be lingering around a side that really needs to concentrate on its football if they want to maintain the high standards of previous seasons.
As such I am predicting a difficult season for the Toffees, although they are too good to go down it looks as though&nbsp; they will struggle to reach Europe again and look to be heading for a tedious middle table finish. Unless Moyes can turn it around once again <a href="http:\/\/betting.betfair.com/football/premiership/">Evertons odds </a>for success are destine to take a nose dive.

ALL POSTS TAGGED "david moyes" - Page 4

General

Who Would Win in a Real Fight Between David Moyes and Roberto Mancini?

General

Moyes Continues Everton Midas Touch

General

Landon Donovan Arrives At Everton

General

FA Cup Final Live Blog: Everton v Chelsea

General

Is David Moyes Ready for a Big Four Management Position?

General

Drogba Wants to Stay at Chelsea

Everton

Moyes Signature To Steady Everton Ship?