AFTER slipping to seventeenth in the league following a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle last weekend, it’s becoming difficult to remain optimistic about Everton’s plight.

But that loss should be taken in context. The Blues had more possession during the game, and had more shots on goal than Newcastle. Inevitably a cast-iron penalty was not given – after a handball in the penalty area from pantomime villain Dan Gosling.

Everton did play well during the match, but only after an astonishingly poor opening 30 minutes when Moyes’ men looked like a side that deserved to be sitting in 17th place.

We have enough trouble with slow starts to the season, we can’t start having slow starts to every game as well.

The same old problem was on display again, with Saha spurning some great chances. But Everton cannot rely on one individual to get the goals. The Blues need to attack and defend as a team. At the moment they are doing neither.

Surprisingly, Rodwell’s recent run of performances – and goals against Newcastle and Fulham – has earned him an England call-up.

After a poor display against QPR at the start of the season, when admittedly the whole side performed badly, Rodwell has become one of Everton’s more consistent performers.

But a call-up to the full England side still seems to have come very early for the Goodison youngster.

He is obviously well known by the England staff due to his successful time with the England Under 21s, and presumably it is through that connection he has been selected.

You can’t help but think that Moyes would have preferred the midfielder to continue quietly improving his game at Everton for the rest of the season, before being hurled into the bright, unforgiving lights of the England team.

He put in an efficient performance again on Saturday without the help of the suspended Marouane Fellaini.

The Blues will also be looking forward to getting Royston Drenthe back into action following his red card against Chelsea.

Those two players would have significantly changed the game for Everton at St James’ Park if they had been available. Probably Moyes’ two most potent stars at the moment, it underlines the display that a weakened Everton side put in. Maybe it is not all doom and gloom at Goodison after all.

At least the defeat in the north-east gave Everton another snippet to add to the club’s long history – the last ever away team to play at St James’ Park.

The Newcastle board’s crass decision to advertise their owner’s high-street shop chain is just one more example of football’s soul going to the highest bidder.

Make no mistake, if Everton got new owners they too would be looking at every possible way to squeeze out extra revenue to compete – and history will count for little.

But what alternative is there? Fans and owners are resigned to the fact that the game is as competitive off the pitch as it is on it now, and every pound a club can get its hands on is being fought for.