By John P
September 16 2005

As the morning after hangover drifts we reflect on the club and the predicament we are in. Top 4 last season, this season out of one competition (nearly out of the second) and languishing in the bottom three.

As the morning mist lays like a blanket over the war torn battlefield of the Stefan cel Mare stadium, the grey clouds over Goodison have now become more like a thunder storm.

Last night, there was nothing positive we could say about the game. First half we seemed to contain them and looked as though we could pull a result at Goodison Park for the 2nd leg. But the 2nd half we looked complacent and where made to look like the laughing stock of european football. It is unfair to pick on any individual but as Rhys pointed out at the end of the game, Neville and Martyn where the only ones that confronted the travelling masses, whilst the rest of the squad walked with heads bowed off the field.

We worked so hard last season to get this far to be let down by a second half performance that would have been classed as non-league and then the next game is against Arsenal away from home.

It is worth pointing out however that we still have Li Tie, Carsley, VDM, Kroldrup, Vaughan, Naysmith, Arteta and possibly Beattie all to come back from injury within the next few months. That's 8 players that didn't play last night that all should be on the pitch. How many teams can field a squad with 8 possible first teamers out injured and expect to win a game? Especially with Cahill needing a rest so badly as he looks as a shadow of his former self in the opening few months of this campaign. How can we possibly pull off decent back to back results when are only 2 fit strikers are Bent and Ferguson?

If this trend continues we will languish at the bottom of the table and expect another relegation scrap. We face Wigan at home in a weeks time and they must be rubbing their hands.

We could possibly sit here and shout "board out" but seriously what good would that do? Fans where holding up "Wyness out!" at the game last night but who can take his place? who would want to take his place? The faisco off the pitch involving the fans who went through Everton FC to travel to the game to the fiasco over trying to sign a striker in the summer would potentially scare off any potential interest in the club.

There are people coming in to the Premiership for the purpose to takeover clubs and to make money, have we seen anything of this? Even West Ham have had offers over us.

Our only saviour is Moyes if he sticks around long enough to pull us out of the quagmire and he has already admitted he was close to walking just a few seasons ago.

We have the transfer window re-opening in a few months and with the possible arrival of Da Silva I doubt we will sign anyone else. The board of directors will be looking at damage limitation to the funds and putting a cap on it. The fans where hoping for a saviour in the form of a striker who can give us some presence up front but this is now looking more unlikely.

We have to now revert back to our old mentality, dig dip and scrape wins where we can. European football? We are Everton FC, we will get there eventually...