Everton manager David Moyes thought his club could be pleased with a seventh-placed finish but knew there is always room for improvement.
Everton boss felt Cahill red was a lack of common sense from Marriner
Everton manager David Moyes thought his club could be pleased with a seventh-placed finish in the Premier League but knew there is always room for improvement.
The Goodison Park club secured their position with a 3-1 win over UEFA Champions League-chasing Newcastle on the final day of the season.
Goals from Steven Pienaar, Nikica Jelavic and John Heitinga ensured Tony Hibbert's header at the wrong end was only a small setback.
And after watching his team guarantee they finished four points above big-spending Merseyside derby rivals Liverpool, Moyes was relatively satisfied.
He told
Sky Sports: "We have finished in a decent league position. As I said in my programme notes, I don't think saying that you finished seventh, eighth or ninth is okay.
Perspective
"I think you have always got to aim for first or second. Or certainly the Champions League.
"I would hope that people will put in perspective where we have been and what we are trying to do. Maybe our league position is a good one in the end."
The match was shrouded slightly by a red card for Tim Cahill after the final whistle when the Australian sparked a mass scuffle by putting his hands to the throat of Yohan Cabaye.
Moyes was disappointed by the incident and thought referee Andre Marriner did not deal with the situation in the correct manner.
Marriner had resisted the temptation to send off Newcastle's Cheick Tiote, who was booked in the first half before going on to commit several fouls prior to his 81st minute substitution.
Pienaar priority
And Moyes said: "I thought maybe the referee could have shown a bit of common sense.
"I think he showed common sense with Tiote. I think he had about four fouls after his booking and he gave him the nod to take him off."
Moyes will now head for talks with Everton chairman Bill Kenwright in the next fortnight regarding the manager's own future and his potential summer transfer budget.
One of the priorities is to keep midfielder Pienaar following the South African's excellent influence since returning to Everton from Tottenham on loan in January.
Asked how keen he was to keep Pienaar, Moyes said: "Just as keen as I was last week, the week before that, the month before that."
