Utah upset serves as a wake-up call

Jul 23 2007 by Nick Smith, Liverpool Daily Post

DAVID MOYES admitted there were “few pluses, if any” to take to the Los Angeles training camp following defeat to Real Salt Lake.

The Everton manager and his squad arrived in California last night after finishing the Utah leg of their tour with a 2-0 humbling in the Rice-Eccles Stadium.

They were taken by surprise by two goals in the space of two first-half minutes and Moyes was candid in his assessment of his side’s last friendly before they return to action on home soil against Werder Bremen next Tuesday.

“We didn’t play well and we had very, very few pluses at all, if any,” said Moyes.

“I didn’t think the performance was good and they looked more adapted to everything. I suppose that’s to be expected because it’s been a hectic few days but I think that we expected to come here and put on a better performance than we did.

“I don’t think it’s our style to take it easy so I have to give them credit, they played really well.

“But we’ve been beaten quite well so that’s a lesson for the future that hopefully doesn’t happen again.”

Moyes added: “It is part of the training and defeats will come along but we are disappointed in the nature of the game because we have been doing okay, we have been full of confidence and were brimming after last season.

“But maybe we needed that, maybe it is a wake-up call to make us realise we are all about hard work and commitment.”

Moyes did, however, take some comfort from the fact that many of his players boosted their pre-season preparations by playing 90 minutes in gruelling conditions.

Andrew Johnson, however, didn’t manage his first full game of the pre-season programme as he has been carrying a hamstring strain which will see him in lighter training for the rest of the week.

“The only pluses were that it was a real hard night in conditions that were very warm that will have helped their fitness levels,” said Moyes.

“And some players who needed to get 90 minutes got that in.

“It was a good competitive game and it was tough but it changed when our goalkeeper – who was exceptional – made a mistake for the goal.

“Then in a minute they scored the second and that made it a real uphill battle for us on the night.

“But from Salt Lake we can take away the fact that we have really enjoyed it in a lovely part of the world.”

The shortage of numbers on tour told when Real Salt Lake’s side of 11 substitutes comfortably closed the game out against Everton’s weary limbs.

With James McFadden sitting it out with a groin strain, Moyes was only able to make five substitutions one of which involved bringing Mikel Arteta back on after being taken off.

South African international Steven Pienaar is set to add to the numbers on the training field by joining up for the remainder of their stay in America.

However, his one-year loan, with a view to a permanent transfer, from Borussia Dortmund is still to be completed as he waits for his work permit.