View From The Stands: League position causes concern

Dec 3 2007 by Connor Francis, Liverpool Daily Post

EVERTON extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to eight games on Saturday, yet few supporters will have felt like celebrating.

Despite Fratton Park being one of the more formidable grounds to visit in the Premier League, expectation levels among the Blues support demands that we should be higher up the table than ninth at this stage of the season.

Before the match many of those fans would have been satisfied to see the Blues win a hard-fought point against Harry Redknapp’s talented squad. But Everton’s performance was disappointing compared to the heights that have been climbed in recent weeks.

The modest position in the table after such a fine run of results underlines just how difficult it will be for Everton to secure a UEFA Cup spot through the league.

Many of our rivals for those European places, Blackburn, Villa, Man City and Portsmouth themselves, do not have the distraction of a current continental campaign.

It is up to Moyes now to juggle the expectations on both the domestic and European front, with our hardest test in the UEFA Cup coming up on Wednesday against Zenit.

If we beat the Russian champions Everton will secure top place in the group and the Alkmaar game becomes a celebratory affair.

That breathing space will allow Moyes and his men to concentrate on the modest league placing and a massive League Cup quarter-final against West Ham.