Tiny Tim keeps the crowd on tenterhooks as he waits until the
eighty-fifth minute before grabbing the winner.
Zenit get hobbled by the inept referee but show the value o####ood
manager with a stunning ten man performance.
Goodison Park
hosts another European night, balmy by Russian standards, chilly for the home
fans. Zenit brought their fair share of
vocal, semi-naked and blue and white supporters to add to the occasion and
Goodison was full of noise. Both teams
can qualify but an Everton win eases the pressure for matchday four in Holland, a nice break in
a hectic December schedule.
Howard is recovered enough to
keep goal behind a much changed back four from Saturday. Neville and Lescott keep their spots, Yobo is
replaced by Jagielka and Baines slips into the left back slot. Arteta, Cahill, Carsley and Pienaar line up
across the middle and Osman in dropped in favour of McFadden, the Scot sits up
front alongside Johnson in an attacking 4 4 2.
Advocaat is a canny manager and
his side is the recently crowned Russian Champions. Malafeev keep goal and is familiar with England; he was between the sticks when Russia visited
Wembley. A back four of Anyukov, Skrtel,
Lombaerts and Kim is multinational and solid.
Dominguez and Shirl provide width, Zyrianov looks forward and the
excellent Ukrainian Tymoschuk holds in a well drilled and neat midfield,
Arshavin will sit in the hole and Pogrebnyak will be the target man.
Everton start brightly, pegging
the visitors back from the whistle. The
Russian side don’t get time to settle and an early defensive slip allow Pienaar
to get the cross in but Kim comes back to clear. Arteta forces a goal line clearance and Zenit
are quick to come forward, Arshavin; at the heart of anything good from the
Russian side; plays in Kim on the left but the full back’s cross is
behind.
Everton come forward again after
winning possession in midfield but Malafeev keeps his hands warm with a good
leap top claim Neville’s cross.
Arshavin gets the ball again but
his ball forward into space isn’t read by his team mates. Arteta sets up a ball for Johnson to chase
and Skrtel comes across to bail out his ‘keeper.
Malafeev is called upon again and
clears quickly, Neville wins the ball then hands possession to Arshavin, the Russian playmaker puts his
cross behind. Then Everton have to clear
Arshavin’s free kick.
Everton create another chance
when Pienaar steals the ball after Zenit were held up by Jagielka on the left touchline,
the South African gets the ball back when his first pass cannons of a Zenit
player, his second ball is better and puts in McFadden, the Scotsman’s run is
good; as is the run of Johnson into space in the area; the final ball is poor
and McFadden’s cross is easily intercepted and cleared by Lombaerts.
Zenit are a well managed team and
look bright in attack, they play the ball around well and look to play to
feet. Arshavin is quality.
Pienaar; having an hot and cold
night in his gloves; wastes some nice Everton possession on the left with a
sloppy cross, Carsley needs to be alert to break up the ensuing Zenit
attack. The South African then plays the
ball too high for a well positioned Johnson; who doesn’t have a stepladder in
his pocket.
Baines concedes a corner when
Zenit break down the right, Zenit’s next attack sees Pogrebnyak shoots wide
from outside the area.
The game is open and free flowing
Everton and Zenit are looking to attack with Lescott and Malafeev being the
standouts in defence.
Everton come out with the ball
and win a free kick and a lovely position on the right, McFadden aims for the
‘keeper and finds him with a wasted delivery.
Arshavin plays a ball into the
path of Shirl but Howard is quick off his line.
Advocaat has the Russian side
playing attractive attacking football, this Russian machine has been very much
well oiled, and the break since their season ended hasn’t affected the team at
all. They attack with speed and poise
and defend well.
Dominguez cuts infield on the
left and swings in a beautiful ball which misses the head of Pogrebnyak by a
foot.
Skrtel resumes his battle with
Johnson and clears the ball away neatly.
McFadden wins a deep free kick which Arteta converts into a corner kick,
the ball is whipped in comes out to Everton, Pienaar chips a delightful ball over
the crowd at the edge of the area and Cahill is more alert than Malafeev;
heading over the flying Russian; he brings the ball down and slams it goalward,
Lombaerts sliding tackle takes the ball behind.
The crowd and Cahill are baying for a handball and the referee duly
obliges then to add insult to injury shows the Belgian a red. Replays show the challenge was a good one and
Lombaerts used his groin and face to clear the ball, not his hands or
arms.
Liverpool
isn’t the only club on Merseyside to get some help from the officials this
season.
"IF MR. CLATTENBURG CAN FOUL UP A GAME IN LIVERPOOL THEN SO CAN I" HOW DO YOU SAY THAT IN ICELANDIC?
The crowd expects the Spaniard to
hand them the lead but JUSTICE PREVAILS and the Barcelona product atrociously skies the spot
kick. The Spaniard has obviously spent
too much time in England
if he tales that poor a penalty kick.
"COHONES! " IS THAT HOW YOU SAY BOLLOCKS! IN SPANISH?
Zyrianov drops back a little
deeper but Zenit stick with their original formation. Then they attack again from the restart. Pogrebnyak gets forward and shows good skill
to bamboozle Jagielka on the edge of the area, his shimmy and pull back free up
Arshavin and prevent something agricultural from Neville. The ex blade redeems himself by getting his
body in the way of the fierce Russian shot.
Arteta tries a bit of redemption
himself but from thirty odd yards out Malafeev is able to get to his top left
corner and palm the sumptuously curling ball; the Spaniard was sure was the
opener; away. Johnson is too intent on
admiring the flight of the ball and doesn’t get to the loose ball in front of
the open net before the defender. Zenit
only half clear and the ball comes out to Carsley, the Irishman opts for
placement instead of power and is unfortunate to see the ball come out of the
inside of the post, McFadden latches onto the rebound but with men open in the area
and only finds the first defender.
Baines and Pienaar combine well
on the left but the South African is well tackled and Zenit come forward
again. The Argentinean; Dominguez; has
come infield and is shaping to pass when Neville goes all agricultural on
him. The terrible challenge is merely a
free kick and not even a card.
The Icelandic referee thinks that
if it’s alright for Kung Fu Kuyt to get away with one then why not one of the
Ugly Sisters.
Dominguez struggles on but is obviously
unfit to continue and comes off before the half, Advocaat; unwilling to make a
change just yet; lets Zenit play with nine men.
Malafeev saves one form Cahill
and Jagielka unsuccessfully tries his hand at crossing before Advocaat brings
on a veteran Russian substitute.
"WANKER! IT WASN'T A PEANLTY!" HOW DO YOU SAY THAT IN RUSSIAN OR DUTCH?
Neither manager makes any
changes, tactically or personnel wise, at the half. But the Advocaat team talk must have been something
to behold. McClaren could provide them
for Middlesbrough in the UEFA Cup but
apparently with national pride at stake his head went up his bum at half time
You’d be hard pressed to tell
that one side was a man down. Zenit had
switched from a 4 4 1 1 to a 3ish 5ish 1, amazingly it worked. Malafeev; the Zenit MOTM; came out quickly to
save his defenders blushes. Neville
pumps one in which is cleared to Baines, the leftback puts in for McFadden but
the Scot shanks it wide.
Zenit break quickly and Zyrianov plays
the ball into the path of Pogrebnyak, the tall Russian stays ahead of Baines
and Lescott but Howard makes a fine save to keep things level.
Baines get forward at the other
end but his whipped in cross beats three Zenit defenders, Malafeev and Johnson
in the six yard box.
Arshavin lays a beautiful ball
over the Everton defence into space, the run of Zyrianov sees him free with
only Howard to beat but he spoons it wildly over the bar. That was a let off.
Howard collects a high ball
easily whilst under pressure from Arshavin as Zenit belie their man deficit and
take the game to Everton.
"THE GOAL IS THAT WAY LADS!
Everton have to play hard to get
opportunities forward, Arteta and Johnson combine and only the quick play of
Malafeev prevents Neville from getting onto a lovely, dinked cross.
Lescott is at his best tonight
and shows Arshavin the art of the tackle.
Everton are being unbelievably pegged back by the ten men of Zenit.
Johnson gets forward to bring
some relief to Everton and his cross is put behind for corner number eight, the
delivery comes out to Pienaar who shanks the ball wide from inside deep. Arteta cuts inside but put the ball behind.
Advocaat decides to shore things
up with the introduction of a defender for his lone striker, Arshavin ploughs a
lone furrow up front.
The ball comes in for McFadden,
and instead of getting a shot off the Scot gives Zenit a free kick, Moyes call
time and brings on the effervescent Anichebe, a match winner in Everton’s two
previous UEFA Cup ties this season.
Pienaar keeps trying but his
cross is poor and easily cleared, Zenit break but Lescott keep pace with
Arshavin and shrugs the Russian off the ball.
Baines puts in a poor one as
Everton start to #### up some pressure, Anichebe has a run from deep but his
shot fizzes wide, Jagielka; up for the corner; tries from distance but Malfeev
smothers the shot. Pienaar gets the ball
again but his cross is to someone much taller than a wide open Johnson.
Arshavin puts a free kick
harmlessly behind.
Everton are finding it tough to
break through an obdurate Zenit team who defend deep and well but break with
amazing alacrity and speed.
Lescott joins the fray on the
left but his dispossession allows Zenit to get forward, Zyrianov is tiring and
can’t get to his own ball which goes out for a goal kick.
Anichibe’s cut back is behind
Cahill, then the ####ian can’t get his shot off as Zenit close him down, the
Russians break upfield with Zyrianov but the shot is wild and high.
Carsley has a go but is high, Lee
comes on for Anyukov and Zenit show that attack is often the best form of
defence. Moyes brings off Johnson and
lets another great Everton
Academy product loose on
the Russians, Vaughn will add some height to the attack and provide a better
target for Pienaar.
Zenit clear another Everton
corner kick but Everton mount a concerted effort for the winner. Arteta has a shot blocked then the home side
gets a corner. Arteta finds Lescott at
the near post and the header is well blocked but only as far as the ex-Wolves
defender, his rasping shot is well turned aside by Malafeev, the man on the
line is playing Cahill onside and the diminutive Australian needs two touches
to bury the ball in the net and secure the win.
Zenit are immediately into the
attack but the home side keeps possession, attack themselves and rebuff the
Russians to see out the three extra minutes of a hugely nerve-wracking and
entertaining game.
Moyes was gracious in victory
(unlike a certain cretinous waiter). He
admitted the red card was harsh and complemented his players for their
tenacity.
Eleven on eleven the result could
well have been different but a win is a win is a win and the group stages have
been maneuvered through. The break is
that on December 20th the result against AZ Alkmaar will be
meaningless to Everton who have topped their group, it will be a nice
opportunity to try some of the reserves and rest players in a hectic month.
#### Advocaat showed his
managerial credentials with an awesome ten man display. His team attacked and defended well and had
three really good opportunities. His
team’s progress through to the knock out stages are in the hands of AZ Alkmaar
and Nurnberg now.
The referee played three good
advantages. On the negative side he
handed Everton a huge bonus with the grossly incorrect red card on Lombaerts
and the penalty decision. He was also
lax when Neville’s Kuyt-like violence against Dominguez didn’t even produce a
yellow. His booking of Johnson was a bit
harsh as well. I think UEFA might be
having words with Mr. Jakobsson.
Baines would be in the England picture if he played for Spurs or a top four club.
Valente is a Champions League Winner and a fit Baines will usually keep him out.
He can attack and defend and with the correct (maybe Pienaar) wide left midfielder will get to the byline and put crosses in with accuracy and pace. His were the best crosses last night.
He's still young so is prone to the odd mistake but Moyes has a good record of doing right by younger talent. Arteta being the prime example.
Baines is young and he's english and he's ours :P
No ponytail. Normally he's a cert from the spot? Like I said, JUSTICE PREVAILED. I'd have taken the win if it came by a terrible penalty and red card - but I'm kinda happy it wasn't. Rarely will you see 10 men play that well for such long periods of the game.
Three penalties and three misses from two players (AJ missed two against Metalist) in the UEFA Cup so far - it's just so very English.
There's Jurado. Young, pacey left winger/attacking mid, but has been used as more of a sub. There's whiney Reyes, another winger, but he didn't like life in the PL.
There's Cleber. Brasilian. Central mid- he has had very little playing time. Not a bad player. I suspect he'll be shown the door before Arteta returns to Spain, though.
Miguel: immensely talented 21 year old central midfielder. After nearly a year & a half, he has finally recovered from his horrific injury. Should be back to action in '08.
Not sure if Maniche will stay-- great player, but I think he'd entertain the idea of leaving.
