Criticism inspires Portsmouth to stick together

Portsmouth manager Alain Perrin got the change in fortune he needed to lift the pressure but David Moyes’ attempts to reverse the downward plunge of Everton’s season failed badly when the sides met yesterday.

The Frenchman had received the dreaded vote of confidence in midweek amid claims his job was already on the line.

Skipper Dejan Stefanovic also revealed how that worrying situation pulled Pompey’s players – even the new ones parachuted into a growing crisis – into a “cohesive unit” that was able to defy Everton.

Stefanovic said: “There have been things said about the manager, and we knew a trip to Everton was a very difficult place in the circumstances.

“Because of the criticism we have all taken, and that also means the manager, we were more determined to put things right.

“The players stuck together, we were determined. Some of the new players didn’t know anything about Everton so we had to make it clear what they would be facing.

“Everton win so many games in the last 15 minutes, especially at home, so for us to withstand that was very pleasing.”

Pompey had a frantic transfer window and drafted in veteran Uruguayan Dario Silva from Seville and Senegal’s Salif Diao on loan from Liverpool.

Stefanovic added: “We have players of many different nationalities, but they can adapt to give teams trouble with their pace and movement. Some don’t speak any English, but we seemed to gel quickly.

“Silva, who I knew when he was playing in Spain, is a very clever player and although he has only just arrived he will be a great asset for us.

“Diao, too, played well in midfield and gave us that extra strength in that department, they are two good signings.

“They may still need a bit of time, but I am delighted with what I have seen and am confident that we can now go on and pull ourselves into mid-table.

A Duncan Ferguson own goal, with Stefanovic provoking the error with his challenge, was the difference between the teams.

The Serbia and Montenegro international added: “I’m delighted with the points even if I can’t claim the goal. We have a bigger squad now than in our previous games because of the signings recently and that gives us more cover and competition and I think we will be okay now.

“We were a cohesive unit after some worrying games when we couldn’t maintain a performance over 90 minutes.

“Everton are very difficult to face on their own own ground, they are strong and difficult in the air, but we hung on to the points.

“Everton piled everything into our box, and it is difficult against Ferguson and (Marcus) Bent, and then when (James) Beattie came on. But we sorted things out defensively and we performed well as a team.”

Everton boss Moyes has the UEFA Cup trip to Dinamo Bucharest on the horizon with only one win so far this term from six games.

The Scot, who made 4-5-1 an art form of high tempo and ferocious effort last season, changed to 4-4-2 while insisting he did not really want to revert to the long stuff he used in the second period.

He said: “It is not the way I want to play, but there was a need. People have talked about us needing to play two strikers, we gave them that and it didn’t work. We were too open and we didn’t cause them any problems.

“Now we will do what we always do, we will get on with it. But I didn’t enjoy this performance one bit.

"Bucharest was always important, but more so now.

“I felt that this game should have been the start for us because we had only had Manchester United at home so far and it has been a very difficult run, but we didn’t take the opportunity to get the win we needed to kick-start the season for us.”

Everton skipper David Weir was one of seven Toffees away on international duty last week, but he refused to blame tiredness for their problems.

He sad: “The international games we have played possibly was why we started slowly, but we do not want to start making excuses. I am sure they had players away as well.

“We started slowly and it wasn’t until the second half that we picked it up, got the ball forward a bit and started to get in and around their goal.”