BY RIDGE MAHONEY Joe-Max Moore is living proof that the fortunes of goalscorers can rise and fall abruptly. He played 25 league and cup matches for Everton this past season without scoring a goal. He hasn’t connected for the United States in his last six appearances. For a goal-thirsty man who scored 22 times for the U.S. and hit the net eight times for Everton in the 1999-2000 season, that’s a long, hot, dry spell. “I’m just on a terrible run right now,” he said during the national team’s stay near Boston, not far from where he scored 37 goals in 77 games for New England from 1996 to 1998. “It’s without a doubt the hardest part of my career I’ve had to go through. “I’m making runs to the near post and balls are going six inches over my head. I’m losing a man getting to the back post and the ball is dropping short. “Game after game it’s getting frustrating and I haven’t had a clear opportunity to score in a long, long time. I’m just trying to fight through it and hope things turn around.” When he joined Everton in March of 1999, he dazzled fans and observers with his sharp finishing. He scored in five straight games and finished the season with six goals in 15 league games and two more in three cup matches. Injuries and player turnover marred the 2000-2001 season at Everton. A calf injury disrupted his preparation for the U.S. game against Jamaica, which by his own admission wasn’t a strong performance. Marked tightly by Leicester City defender Frank Sinclair, Moore struggled to find space and was eventually substituted in the 0-0 tie. “I wasn’t real happy,” said Moore. “He played well. He’s a big, strong guy and I wasn’t on my game. I got a few balls stuck at my feet that I should have gotten off quicker.” Moore says that Everton manager Walter Smith has talked to him about playing more in midfield. Normally a forward, he lined up as a midfielder a few times last season in the 3-5-2 Smith prefers to play. “Our style of play is pretty direct and I was having to guess where the ball was going to drop after it came off Kevin Campbell’s head a lot of times,” said Moore. “I’ve always thought of myself as an attacking midfielder, a player who comes a little bit later. I like to be around the ball quite a bit. Over the past couple of years I’ve primarily played as a forward.” Moore was one of only four forwards named to the 23-man squad for the U.S. game Sunday in Mexico City. The others are Jovan Kirovski, Brian McBride and Ante Razov. Moore and McBride started against Jamaica, but they were replaced during the game by Kirovski and Razov. The latter pair started in the 2-0 win over Trinidad & Tobago. Coach Bruce Arena has also recalled Cobi Jones, who missed the Jamaica game because of suspension and wasn’t named to the squad for the T&T game. There’s competition for Moore at Everton as well. The Premier League club recently sold forward Francis Jeffers to Arsenal but is trying to sign Canadian striker Tomasz Radzinski from Belgian club Anderlecht. Moore wants to play another season at Everton. “I wasn’t getting as many good opportunities and it was a rough season for me,” he said. “I want to go back there for at least another year and try to get things straightened out. “You have to keep your confidence. Otherwise you beat yourself up and fall apart.”