Source: Liverpool_Echo
Everton FC can’t afford another slow start warns captain Phil Neville
IT may seem a little early to be handing out warnings but Phil Neville articulated the thoughts of many Evertonians earlier this week.[LNB]In the wake of Tuesday night's disappointing 2-1 defeat at Blackpool, the skipper's displeasure mirrored the frustrations that David Moyes was harbouring and, typically, he pulled no punches when assessing the impact of that result.[LNB]Given that Everton are a side by whom you can set your watch when it comes to keeping clean sheets, the fact they had conceded nine goals in six games prior to last night's tussle with Malaga was clearly a cause for concern.[LNB]Not surprisingly, then, the tone of Neville's thoughts centred on the Blues' current soft underbelly but it was his pay-off line that had most resonance.[LNB]The gist of it?[LNB]'We can't afford another slow start.'[LNB]While last season was possibly the best during Moyes' seven-year reign, there are grounds for describing it as his most miraculous, too as, if we are honest, Everton should not have recovered from falling out the starting stalls.[LNB]A tally of nine points from nine games suggested that a fight at the wrong end of the table - and nothing else - beckoned but thanks to their unerring consistency, coupled with the errors of others, the situation was remarkably salvaged.[LNB]So good was Everton's form from November onwards that they took more points than Arsenal in the last 29 games - i.e. good enough to qualify for the Champions League - but there are many who are expecting that this will be the campaign when the bubble bursts.
