Source: Team_Talk
Grant downbeat after Goodison defeat
Portsmouth manager Avram Grant felt his side's last-gasp 1-0 defeat at Everton summed up their miserable season.[LNB] Relegated Pompey looked to be bowing out of the Premier League with a creditable draw at Goodison Park when Diniyar Bilyaletdinov struck a stunning winner after four minutes of injury time.[LNB]Everton will feel victory was deserved after squandering a number of chances but Grant could feel his luck was out after Anthony Vanden Borre earlier had a legitimate goal disallowed.[LNB]Vanden Borre sidefooted home just before the hour only to see his effort incorrectly ruled out for offside.[LNB]Grant said: "It is disappointing but typical.[LNB]"Again we scored a goal - I don't know why the decision was a disallowed goal because there were two players on the line.[LNB]"It is not the first time this has happened.[LNB]"We defended well, had some good attacks and scored a goal, so we deserved to win.[LNB]"They scored a fantastic goal in the last moment but it was a good performance."[LNB]Grant was fined for improper conduct after storming onto the field to rant at a referee earlier this season but kept his emotions in check this time.[LNB]The Israeli added: "I didn't say anything because it was the last game - but it is not the first time it has happened to us.[LNB]"I don't understand what happened, maybe the linesman slipped a bit.[LNB]"There was no reason not to give it."[LNB]Grant could at least reflect on an encouraging performance as he now begins his preparations for next week's FA Cup final.[LNB]"We stopped them," he said. "We know they are a very good team and have beaten some big teams here.[LNB]"Even when they passed the ball well they didn't have many chances.[LNB]"We passed it well, especially in the second half and I think it was a good performance."[LNB]Everton boss David Moyes looked ahead with optimism as he assessed another positive result.[LNB]The Toffees lost just two of their final 24 matches in a superb finish to the season but could climb no higher than eighth.[LNB]Moyes now wants to add to his squad over the summer and after previously not mentioning specific positions, tonight gave a clear indication that he wants more firepower.[LNB]Moyes said: "I thought we played really well, especially in the opening part of the game.[LNB]"I thought we put in some really good crosses at times but didn't finish it off.[LNB]"Mikel (Arteta) had a great chance, Victor (Anichebe) hit one down the side, Louis (Saha) had a great chance with his head - but if you look at Portsmouth, I thought they defended really well.[LNB]"If that good football is going to continue and we can play like that we are going to need something at the top end to get us regular goals.[LNB]"I thought we tried to do the right thing, we tried to improve, but it shows you how far we have come that we are all disappointed finishing eighth.[LNB]"That is a good thing - the players feel we have not achieved quite what we should have done."[LNB]Moyes admitted Pompey frustrated his players but hailed Bilyaletdinov's 30-yard curled winner.[LNB]The Scot said: "I thought it was a stunning goal, out of the blue, out of nothing. It was a fantastic finish.[LNB]"We had just about run out of ideas and, to be fair, on the counter-attack they were a threat.[LNB]"And they scored a goal - it was a goal. I thought ours was a goal last week [against Stoke] and theirs was a goal today."
