Everton FC News: David Moyes bemoans ‘poor’ defending as Everton lose to Benfica at Goodison

Nov 6 2009 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

David Moyes bemoans ‘poor’ defending as Everton lose to Benfica at Goodison

Everton FC News: DISAPPOINTED David Moyes bemoaned the “poor” defending that consigned Everton to a second successive Europa League defeat.

Second-half goals from Javier Saviola and Oscar Cardozo earned Benfica a 2-0 win at Goodison last night in their Group I clash.

The result earned the Portuguese outfit a double over Moyes’s side after the 5-0 thrashing in Lisbon a fortnight ago, and extended Everton’s run to seven games without a win.

But while Benfica were rampant two weeks ago, the Everton manager believes his team architects of their own downfall this time.

“We became a little open in the second half because we were trying to score,” said Moyes. “We got done on the counter-attack for the first goal a little bit, it was a quick break but we still had four defenders in there.

“The goals weren’t like the goals we conceded in Benfica. For example, one ricocheted off one of their players and falls for them. I don’t think the goals were beautiful goals, I thought they were poor defensive ones for us.

“We have tough games coming up. We never thought the group would be easy. And it’s going to prove that way.”

With AEK Athens and BATE Borisov drawing 2-2 in the night’s other Group I fixture, Everton remain in second place and on course for qualification to the last 32.

Indeed, Moyes’s side need just four points from their final two games – away at AEK on December 5 and at home to BATE a fortnight earlier – to progress.

But the Goodison manager was unhappy with his team’s attacking threat against a Benfica team that has become the first in Europe to win at both Everton and Liverpool.

“Tonight we lacked a bit of quality going forward,” said Moyes. “We know that before the game started. It wasn’t something that surprised us.

“We try not to discuss the people who are out injured, I’d sooner talk about the ones that are in the team. Some of them did okay tonight, there were one or two good performances.”

Moyes added: “I think Benfica are a good side. It was a tough game. It was tighter than the last one.

“Benfica set a benchmark for us. We beat the team who won it, Zenit St Petersburg, here two years ago. We beat Fiorentina here but ended up losing on penalties. So I can see Benfica in the future possibly being a side that are that standard. It’s a long competition, there are good teams in it and lots of good teams to come into it as well.”

Meanwhile, Tim Howard admits Everton have no time to dwell on the defeat with a trip to West Ham United to come on Sunday.

“Benfica are tough team and they showed that over the course of two games,” said the goalkeeper.

“It will be a big occasion in Athens now. We don’t have the luxury of feeling sorry for ourselves. We have to pick ourselves up and get on with it.”