DAVID MOYES may have spotted a drinks container thrown into the away end on Tuesday night, but it's the bottle of his Everton side that will now be of more concern to him.

A season of disappointment and disillusionment struck a new dismal low when the Goodison outfit were dumped out of the Carling Cup by npower League one strugglers Brentford.

The debate prompted by Moyes witnessing a missile lumped towards the travelling supporters should not be allowed to detract from the real issue to emerge at Griffin Park – the ongoing struggle of an Everton team that should be producing much, much more.

Indeed, Moyes and his players could maybe count themselves fortunate they weren't buried under an avalanche of projectiles from the disgruntled away fans.

Certainly, frustration among Evertonians is approaching near critical levels. They've seen it all before, and that is part of the problem.

So what has gone so wrong? Why, after ending last season with only two defeats in their final 24 Premier League games, have Everton already lost three in five and suffered another Carling Cup humiliation?

Expectation, and the pressure that comes with it, is a significant contributory factor.

Everton have continually shown under Moyes's tenure that, when their backs are to the wall and the world is against them, they can come out fighting.

But when expectant eyes have been on the Goodison outfit to deliver, they routinely have not.