Recently by Mark Reid

Having finally seen the back of the so-called "month of hell" that is February, Everton took on Hull City at Goodison, without key men in Fellaini and Cahill but welcoming back another key man in Phil Jagielka. It also, after the first 10 minutes in which he took to settle, showed Mikel Arteta passing the Tigers off the park and show why Everton have missed him for so long.

After a long hard month Donovan was given a rest and when it was set up for him to retake his right side of midfield for the last 20 minutes he didn't disappoint with a goal to banish the previous week's memory and an assist to Rodwell to finish the rout.

Since the start (and as written about here) Donovan's shown he's a quality player and his attitude has meant he's extremely popular with the blues, as evidenced by the reception he's been given by the supporters and other team mates. His respect and attitude's mirrored the respect he's held in, which in little more than two months says something.

Anyone would think that Manchester United weren't given a football lesson on Saturday afternoon. Subtly the excuses start coming into play... and the media types start re-writing the story.

Poor United, were tired from their midweek match.

Completely ignored is that Everton played against Sporting Lisbon CP the same night. Conveniently forgotten - because we don't want to upset united fans.

Next, Rooney wasn't himself. United were below themselves. The endless claptrap.

It was just the same with Chelsea. Rather than talk about Everton the story gets skewed to suit the agenda of narrow misinformed journalists.

Following Everton handing it to Manchester United on the pitch, the agenda comes to our players. The general theme becomes that our players will just walk away. Its often done with a large amount of talking down of Everton Football Club.

Despite David Moyes, going on national radio and stating his lack of worries about any suitors being able to tempt him away, the fact is Moyes was correct. This is not the EVERTON FOOTBALL CLUB of 2004. And further to that its not the Manchester United of 2004 either. With £720million debts, the bubble has burst, the arrogance of supporters to think they can just flick their fingers to take an Everton player away is typical. Misguided and ill informed as much as the media feeding it.

Thankfully the transfer window closed in a fan fair of Sky Sports News "breaking news", Big Ben and plenty of advertising revenue, all on the assumption that clubs must spend to provide entertainment.

As David Moyes said only last week we're probably seeing the end of the recent years of crazy money in football, except for the certain exceptions of clubs with billionaire "investors". Quite what return these billionaires actually want for all the money spent is another matter entirely...

What we did see today is probably a view of what will happen going forward, clubs run as going concerns, balancing the books and not spending money - the club - doesn't have, on players with limited shelf lives, and risks like bad tackles which can wipe out any investment in seconds. Intelligent buys - about what other people and managers cannot see. Just look at a fully fit Marouane Fellaini, with some development at Finch Farm with this in mind. Or more recently a certain young Seamus Coleman learning his trade. These are better for Everton, and don't play with the club's financial future.

The Sunderland game allowed the blues to get up and come back fighting after a disappointing 45 minute showing in the FA Cup. What we got was a reverse with the second half seeing Everton lower their workrate too much, giving away possession cheaply. The blues need to remember and act on the fact - great teams put 90 minute performances in, regardless of fatigue or confidence and its time the blues showed what they can do consistently.

Despite the scruffy performance in the second half and the last 20 minutes in particular, Landon Donovan showed his quality throughout and going one better than the Manchester City game.

Over the past several weeks the question has been asked of Landon Donovan's ability to play in the English Premier League. The dismissive attitude of some towards MLS "soccer" is a wrong one, particularly for someone like Landon Donovan who's certainly been well above the grade for several years, and is his country's record goal scorer. He's performed in international competition and earned the right to see what he could do in Europe. At Everton he's amongst elite players and at a club with a 131 year history. No doubt Donovan's been getting to see just what an institution in English football Everton FC actually are.

Donovan in choosing Everton has come to the right club. Everton Football Club have an extensive network in the US, with several partnerships with clubs like USL-2 team The Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Everton's summer trip to play the MLS all-stars and with Everton's networking in the US. Fory for example Tony Farrell who's supposedly been in the US this week (Everton FC head of international football, and coordinator for 9-12 year olds).

Its no coincidence Everton have spent a good deal of time in America in pre-season the past few years, as it appears the club have staked a strategic interest in cultivating talent in the US. Everton took on two young American's in the summer in Anton Peterlin and Cody Arnoux, further bringing along the mutual beneficial investment across the atlantic. Landon Donovan's just the latest part of this. So for Everton, far from the club being accused of cherry picking - Everton have cultivated their share of talent already and will do so long term. Everton have a extensive outreach programme in Liverpool and its good that newer clubs in America are benefiting from the club with 131 years of history, in the country that gave football to the world.

Having watched Donovan play up close up and even moving around in his warm up its immediately obvious that the boy's got quick tidy feet, and has what we'd term a good motor on him. The pace of him combined with his control immediately put him in a good position. He's often played in a central striker position in MLS but looking at him physically, and having seen him pull out of a header - I doubt Donovan will play as an out and out striker in the English Premier League.

On January 15th, the local Manc rag (Manchester Evening News) published an article accusing David Moyes of making pot shots at Manchester City.

Throughout the article. It appeared as the writer were desperate to make a point of anything and anything. For instance David Moyes, as a Scotsman isn't in his rights taking about Viera's move stiffling English (domestic) players? Last time I checked, Scotsmen have had a huge impact in the English game particuarly in management and developing players. Theres nothing to be concerned about when a Scot talks about young talent, particuarly one with a track record like Moyes has.

Then the conspiracy theorists move by implication to the Lescott-saga. The clueless journo then decides to say that this was a "clumsy attempt at mind games" ,as well as implying that Manchester City acted properly and that Everton haven't in the past. This is done without any illustrations, just the implication.

The Manc rag continues:

The FA Cup was a welcome change to the league campaign that allows us to reminisce about Wembley - twice - in 2009 and the aim to go one better this time out.
With our injury concerns, its been a tough time for bluenoses everywhere the past several months. The spine of the team out, the club's been tested beyond all limits. We seem to be on the way back though, the return of Phil Neville was beyond words against Burnley. Composure. Confidence. Determination. A win was inevitable as we tried to turn the screw.

Then we welcomed Carlisle FC to the grand old lady - Goodison Park. As you expect the usual cries as the Cumbrians enjoyed their day out, rang out in the cup allocation in Bullens Road. Fair play to Everton, for reducing ticket prices for the game at what is a tight time of year for everyone.
A welcome win thanks again to the lad Seamus Coleman, who proved he's no flash in the pan. Exuding the qualities we want he got forward and was determined to get into the box. From the resulting play Cahill got the tap in and from there it was game over for Carlisle. Seamus Coleman shows what's possible if you have a good manager who can through his scouting network, locate and sign talent at excellent value. We have to thank Sligo Rovers for such an exciting prospect coming to us.

Now some immediate observations of why Everton weren't performing as we know they can....

Ian Snodin - the Everton legend, believes that if Everton had all their players fit - we'd give anyone a game on our day. He said the same to Ian St John on local Merseyside radio's well-known phone in "Terrace-Talk".

Snod's is not wrong. We're still missing the following due back in training early January if all goes well:

A scrappy game against Bolton. Everton apart from one or two sublime moments (Louis Saha showing the near-genius Moyes ascribed to him), we looked scrappy with wayward passes a distinct lack of confidence, certain players looking like they were lacking purposefulness and hunger.

Megson's obviously tried to change Bolton from the pub-team Alladyce era. Although to change that is going to take him years. How many times players challenged the man not the ball particuarly in the air (where Bolton like to play their game), was something I lost count of.

Some of these referees really are going to need to start clamping down. Everton try and play football, then get clattered and our players go off injured. Anichebe - due to a disgusting challenge to the knee at Newcastle, Neville - who was followed through on at Fulham and Pienaar who was head butted in what could only be described as a reckless and unnecessary rugby-style challenge at Portsmouth.

Thats one cartillage tear, one posterior cruciate tear and one badly swollen knee, of which resulted in only one red card in the three games.

Where is the referee protection?

A deliberate stamp on Cahill yesterday got nothing. Whilst Fulham, Portsmouth and Bolton got away with crocking Everton players. Infact it seems to be a deliberate tactic for certain clubs now, that faced with superior skill in the Everton team they don't just close down they go out to injure. Tim Cahill's a combative player, he needs to be to play the way he does but I've never seen him go out to injure even if he is giving opposing players stick. Even his Merseyside Derby red card was Alonso blatantly feigning and followed on from a dirty Red, Arebola going down the back of his legs at Goodison.

In over 25 years of following Everton, I've never seen an injury and absence list like it. Ever.

When it comes to asking a young lad to make his full Everton debut, away, in a foreign country, when asking a another young player in Dan Gosling to make another senior appearance (one of only a handful yet), when it comes to playing Tony Hibbert at centre back... I was half expecting to see Baz Rathbone to get warmed up and come running on!

Why? No Arteta, No Neville, No Jags, No Heitinga, No Neill, No Pienaar, No Anichebe, No Yobo, No Baines... Billy coming off injured its becoming more like asking is anyone going to be actually available.

AGAIN I've never seen an injury list like it. Ever.

Unfortunately, where our players went in played right into Benfica's hands. With strong wingers one of whom was plying his trade at Barcelona until recently, with Benfica having 27 player out on loan it was obvious to everyone that the young lads were just not quite mature enough in their development as footballers to be up against in form Benfica. The wing back positions of Everton were our Achilles heel (Yak's heel?) and the wings were Benfica's strongest area on the pitch.

Benfica won 6-0 the game before ours. That omen shows what form they are in. Our injury list says it all.

People should remember however, David Moyes surpassed Harry Catterick with the most number of wins in Europe for Everton. He's also broken points haul records and clean sheet records in the last several seasons. So anyone questioning Moyes needs their heads examining. Only if this were happening without reason would it be justifiable. Moyes can't snap his fingers and expect Arteta to play after snapping his cruciate. Or Jags. So Moyes' headache is to find a way through for Everton...