Sunday afternoon; again; this time at The Stadium Of Light. The windy North East doesn’t trouble either
set of fans who turn up in good numbers and good voice. Wiley has a really poor game although unlike
the last howler he doesn’t call back a spurious John son goal. Kicking an Everton player whilst he is down,
pushing an Everton player to the floor in retaliation and going in for the
ankle and not the ball with studs showing on an Everton player are all deemed ‘nothing
much to worry about, eh lads?”
Apparently; so Hackett tells us; Wiley is one of the better Premier League
Officials.
Sunderland weren’t any good and really, neither were
Everton. Three points away with a poor
performance is always welcome.
It’s a long trip to Sunderland, not long enough to daunt the Everton fans
from making the trip. Everyone received a
warm Wearside welcome. The visitors are
hovering on the cusp of Europe and Sunderland are hovering on the cusp of relegation
so a win is vital, a point is OK and a loss isn’t catastrophic although the
season’s run in becomes just a little bit harder as a result. Keane is even generous enough to give a nod
to Everton’s progress under Moyes.
Keane makes changes from the side
that drew last week; the squad isn’t huge but has been doing well at home. Gordon keeps goal with a back four of Bardsley,
Nosworthy, Evans and Collins. The five
across the middle are Stokes, Whitehead, Leadbitter, Richardson and Murphy with
Jones ploughing the furrow alone up front.
The 451 gives you all the information you need to know about what Sunderland will try to do.
Moyes; fresh from two excellent
league performances and an awful UEFA Cup game goes with a positive 442. Howard keeps goal, Hibbert stays at right
back with Yobo and Jagielka in the centre and Lescott remains at left back. Arteta starts after injury, Neville sits in
the middle with Cahill and Pienaar occupies the left flank. Yakubu and John son partner up front. The 442 away from home against a team in
relegation trouble is duly noted.
"Come on lads, this is football not f. uc. kin' line dancing!" The Ugly SIster motivates the Blues (Royal that is!)
The first ten minutes is dull,
lacks skill, cohesion and any sort of goal threat. Wiley does pull back play when Lescott’s run
has taken him deep on the left with time and space to perhaps create
something.
A tired Everton set up to attack
are blunted by a dour Sunderland set up to
defend.
That’s the first half in a
nutshell.
Everton’s most potent threat is
the odd corner or a neat bit of ball work and skill when the players find
themselves in more than a yard of space without being closed down.
Lescott has a couple of shooting
chances but doesn’t fancy going for goal with his feet.
Cahill’s close range effort is
blocked by Bardsley onto the post and the rebound is headed over by John son;
this is off a flurry of late first half corners.
Nothing much in the way of
attacking for the men in Royal Blue or Red, White and Black.
Jagielka shows his pace as he
tracks back to prevent Jones from getting free on the right.
Jagielka comes a rare second in this round o####ood tussle that livened up a dull game.
The refereeing; or lack of
anything resembling skilful officiating; provides the first half talking
points.
Arteta is fouled and smothers the
ball with his arms and head. This doesn’t
mean anything to Stokes whose first kick catches a Spanish arm and who is
allowed a second kick which thankfully doesn’t connect with a face. Hardly worth a whistle and certainly not a
card.
Moyes must have given his charges
a right old fashioned bollocking at the half and Keane brings on the much more
talented Chopra to replace Stokes.
A good early Sunderland chance is
created when Neville is lazy in the middle and allows Richardson to nick the ball, and then Hibbert’s
awful clearance allows Murphy the opportunity to cross. The wide player whips in a lovely ball for
Jones and Lescott has to be strong to protect his goal.
Murphy delivers a neat near post
cross which forces Howard to be alert although nothing is really testing the
big American, defensive snafus are giving him more problems than anything Sunderland muster.
Everton get a goal after some decent
pressure was capitalized on. The tempo
increased from the away side, two fluffed clearances help to maintain it; first
by Leadbitter to concede a soft throw in and secondly from Collins to concede
possession deep inside his own half; why he didn’t smack it into row Z I don’t
know.
"This time the bast-ard in the black can't possibly give me offside, can he?" AJ worries about Wiley.
A poor Hibbert cross is beaten
away and falls to Collins who’ remarkably’ doesn’t hoof it upfield. His pass is intercepted by Yakubu who turns,
looks up and plays a great ball to the penalty spot, Cahill’s leap is only
sufficient to take the ball away from Pienaar at the back post. The South African manages to retain the ball
and keeps it simple with a layback to Arteta, the Spaniard whips in a ball to
the near post which glances of John son’s elbow beyond Gordon.
Sunderland's whole season captured in just one image!
"This one is for you Mags!"
Several replays later the
commentators notice it’s not actually a headed goal, more of an armed
goal. Johnson gets the benefit of being
in the right place at the right time and seals the win.
Heaven is painted Royal Fu. Ck. Ing Blue!
Everton never really look like
getting a second whilst Keane’s changes sting some action into Sunderland who come closest to getting a goal.
Lack of quality and tiredness and
one world class save keeps the score at nil one.
Murphy shows more good skill with
another good cross from the left and then comes off for Reid who doesn’t deliver
one telling ball into the box for the rest of the game.
Nosworthy denies Johnson from a
corner kick and Hibbert does well to stifle the resultant break which sees
Everton well out numbered.
Jagielka makes a double block in
the area after a lovely reverse ball from Prica finds Chopra. The Swede doesn’t do much else in the
game.
The best of the game; from both
sides; comes right at the death.
Anichebe makes a clumsy challenge and gives Sunderland
a free kick in a dangerous area. Reid’s
delivery curls neatly over the wall and looks to be going under the bar, Howard
manages to adjust his flight and reaches up to tip the ball behind. Good free kick and great save.
"Right Jack, this is called a Wall, now just stand there and pretend to be a brick!"
Phil passes on his vast experience to sixteen year old Premier League debutant, Jack Rodwell.
Sunderland
played like a team in the bottom reaches of the Premier League, tough, gritty,
flashes of neat play but on the whole a lot more endeavour than skill.
Played to the tune of Olivia Newtron Bomb - Let's Get Physical!
Everton played tired and lacked
much skill on the ball; they had the extra gear and the skill to worry Sunderland and got a good break on the goal. Defensively they were good and just didn’t
ever test Gordon when going forward. An
away win at this stage of the season is priceless.
"THE UNDERTAKER! WINS UGLY AGAIN!"
David Moyes is fiercly jubilant after a tough old win at Sunderland!
Wiley. Another poor game for the Staffordshire
official.
You can cut him some slack for
awarding a spurious goal, perhaps.
Awarding Bardsley a yellow for a
reckless lunge on Pienaar is awful refereeing.
Unlike in the Laws of the game as
defined by FIFA the laws of the game as applied by Alan Wiley allow one player
to push another player to the ground in retaliation of a tackle and merely get a
talking to.
If the ball is under a player’s
face it’s OK to kick for the ball.
A flying; kuyt inspired; studs up
lunge which is half a yard from the ball is merely a yellow, the player walked
off so it’s really just one of those things.
Diving Spaniards are good for the
game.
On his way to the grass after the faintest of touches...again!
Alan Wiley displaying that infamous fairness he always displays when faced with Royal Blue shirts!
"I'm a little teapot short and stout One arm in and one arm out One for the handle One for the spout Tip me over and the tea pours out"
Alan Wiley gets musical after downing a couple of stiff ones before his last Everton game.
THE
match officials who deprived Everton of the chance to strengthen their
grip on fourth place against Blackburn Rovers have been punished for
their errors.
Referee Alan Wiley, who failed to show David
Dunn a second yellow card for deliberate handball and never pointed to
the spot when Andrew Johnson was fouled by Zurab Khizanishvili, will
not be allowed to take charge o####ame this weekend.
Sunday afternoon at Goodison
Park. Hardly the proper time for football but
nonetheless. Tense game with some
expansive and beautiful Everton play.
Pompey’s very own Diddy man evades his markers to grab an equalizer for
the visitors and the home side is discombobulated for a while. Normal service resumes and Tiny Tim gets
Everton’s second whilst the Yak scores the third of the game and his eighteenth
of the season.
A convoluted trip limits the
number of away fans although the home fans turn up in decent numbers for what
is a European six pointer. The weather
and pitch are fine and the Panto Dame predicts a bore draw. Hardly serious football journalism from Lawro
when both sides have only managed two (home/away) draws from league play this
season. The stakes are high and at both
teams are unbeaten in three so something has to give.
Moyes is starting to encounter
the problems of having a full and functioning squad coupled with the need to
drop or change players. Difficult but a
nice problem to have.
Howard keeps goal, Hibbert occupies
the right back berth after a solid performance against Petrov, Yobo and
Jagielka continue their strong partnership in the centre and Lescott stays at
left back. Carsley and Neville sit deep
with Pienaar Osman and Cahill getting licenses to attack with Yakubu as the
main forward. This is very firmly an
attacking 4 5 1.
"IT'S OK LADS! MOST OF THEM ARE ONLY THIS TALL!"
DAVID JAMES ON THE MIDGET GEMS!
Redknapp has plenty to chose from
and opts for a large 4 5 1. James
continues his long streak in goal the back four has the energy at the flanks in
John son and Hreidarsson and solidity in the middle with Campbell and Distin. Strung across the middle are Bouba Diop,
Diarra, Muntari and Krancjar with Defoe and Kanu up front as a little and large
partnership.
"IS THE BIG GUY ENGLISH?"
CAPELLO, HOT OF THE HELICOPTER FROM BOLTON.
PLENTY OF ENGLISH TALENT ON SHOW!
Before Capello has even taken his
seat (the Italian is hot off the helicopter after watching Bolton
lose) Yakubu has duly scored the opener.
A brisk Everton attack and a clumsy challenge see Pienaar deliver a
nothing ball into the area. Distin is
too slow, John son just watches and the rest of the defence barely moves as
Yobo flicks the ball on for his countryman to stoop and head beyond James. Clocked at fifty seconds.
"FEED THE YAK AND HE WILL SCORE!"
JOHN SON AND JAMES CAN DO NOTHING TO STOP NUMBER SEVENTEEN
Before it’s even begun the game
has turned into a major challenge for Portsmouth. One which in the first half they barely rise to.
Huge swathes of the first half
see some delightful Everton passing and movement which bamboozles and befuddles
Pompey.
My highlight is Pienaar and Cahill
passing to each other as they advance down the left ignorant (seemingly) of the
Pompey defenders they leave for dead.
Nothing comes of all the fancy footwork but a few good saves and
clearances from a stout Pompey back line or a wayward strike from Phil
Neville.
Osman and Cahill have chances and
James gets away with one of his trademark Calamity’s ™.
The Everton player with the
hottest boots is Irish; Carsley has a free kick and two more chances, none of which
find the target.
"EVERYBODY WAS KUNG FU FIGHTING
THOSE GUYS ARE FAST AS LIGHTENING
SOMETIMES IT'S A WAS LITTLE BIT FRIGHTENING
EVERYBODY IS KUNG FU FUGHTING
LA LA LA LAAH!"
THE KUNG FU OF KUYT IS PRACTISED AGAIN AT GOODISON PARK.
John son skinned Pienaar early on
but produced a poor cross and Kranjcar briefly sputtered into life in a half
that until the thirty eighth minutes the visitors looked practically dead and
buried as they foundered on a calmly wonderful Everton back six.
The ground goes into that stunned
away goal silence when from out of the blue John son lays in a lovely ball
which Howard should be rushing off his line to claim. The big yank doesn’t and the little Englishman
slips between two vastly bigger but static defenders to graze the ball with the
faintest of touches beyond a flailing Howard for the equalizer.
Who picked up Defoe’s run and why
didn’t Howard move. For a normally solid
defence that was shocking.
"SILENCE IS GOLDEN"
UNLESS IT'S THAT GHASTLY SILENCE THAT FOLLOWS AN AWAY GOAL
POMPEY'S VERY OWN MIDGET GEM GETS AN UNEXPECTED EQUALIZER.
Everton still press in the last
five but some of the conviction has slipped from their play.
Moyes keeps things the same and
Harry must have given some sort of fire-breathing-barnstorming-Churchillean
monologue to inspire his players.
The visitors emerged from the
tunnel with their proverbial tails up, Defoe and Yakubu were swapping goal
celebrations and everyone was happy.
Ten minutes into the half and
Everton had barely gotten into second gear.
The champagne had gone flat and it took a determined team effort to haul
their sorry arses back into the game, they were just getting going and starting
to move forward with some purpose when the key managerial input came.
Moyes switched to a 4 4 2 and
brought off Hibbert for John son, Neville slotted in to the right back role and
John son caused immediate mayhem.
A rapid and ball hungry outlet
pulled the Pompey defence all over the park.
The interplay between the front
two was nice to see and effective, Pompey retreated back into their shell and
even the addition of Utaka’s pace and skill made little difference to the
Blues’ dominance.
Things were still tense though as
without a goal Pompey could sneak one or the game could end drawn.
Tensions eased and the noise
level rose after some neat play on the left produced a classic Cahill headed
goal.
SOMEWHERE IN TIM CAHILL'S LINEAGE IS A WALLABY!
THE EXCELLENT OZZIE LEAPS TO GET HIS TENTH OF THE SEASON
The Australian played a ball out
to the left from deep, Yakubu got on the end of it and played in Pienaar, the
South African whose crosses the ball into the six yard box, Cahill has
continued his run and not been picked up and rose magnificently to bury one,
his tenth of the year.
John son scored but the goal was
called back for a tight offside and James had another Calamity ™ yet got way
with it.
The icing on the cake (albeit not
a clean sheet) was Yakubu’s second goal.
Portsmouth lost the ball in the Everton
half and John son picked up the clearance, his crossfield ball flew fourty
yards and caught Campbell in an indecisive mood,
the ex-Gunner let the ball go behind him and the Yak took the gift, turned Campbell inside around and
hammered the ball beyond a stunned James.
FEED THE YAK AND HE WILL SCORE!
NUMBER EIGTHEEN IS ABOUT TO BEAT JAMES AFTER YAKUBU BAMBOOZLES CAMPBELL.
Everton finished
professionally.
Everton played well; they dug
themselves a hole, blundered around in it for a while before pulling themselves
out of it and playing even better.
Happy with the goals, unhappy
with equalizer and the twenty minutes of mental lethargy.
Happiest with the mental
toughness that turned the game around in the second half.
Loved the changed from 4 5 1 to 4
4 2.
EXHIBIT B - HOW BEING A FOOTBALL MANAGER WILL SERIOUSLY DAMAGE YOUR COMPLEXION!
The first half was an intimate
exercise; football in microsm; play well but don’t score and you leave yourself
vulnerable.
2008 is becoming a good year for
Everton in the Premier League.
Seems the defeats in the two domestic
cups were forgotten in the cold of Norway and the team was celebrated
in the six-one European Night.
Thursday will be the toughest
test for the team of the season so far.
Fiorentina are good, hungry, and unfamiliar. To repeat the efforts and enjoy the
performances of the 1984/85 season the team needs to play very well against one
of Italy’s
best sides. Tough but eminently
dooable. COYB
Pompey weren’t in the game for
long periods but could have gotten three points.
"OIY LADS! QUICK! OVER 'ERE - LOOKS LIKE HARRY"S GOING FOR THE HIGH NOTE!" MR REDKNAPP's URGING HIS TEAM ON WITH SONG!
On small things games turn, for
example Defoe. On another day Pompey
score a second and kill the game. Today
they weren’t good enough to do that but good enough to frustrate and get at
Everton without causing Howard too many worries.
Mariner. Pretty good game lah!
Note to Andre: check the video of
the game, notice that Distin had his arms all over Lescott whilst holding him
down, and notice the pushes John son applied at crucial moments to Lescott and
Yakubu. All three offences happened in
the penalty area. Penalties, maybe I’m
not an expert, I’m just mentioning them in case you didn’t see them.
Oop the East Lancs Road
for a jaunt to the Eastlands Stadium.
Cra ppy weather in Manchester (no change
there then really), and some pretty cra ppy football from Manchester City. Everton played very well and ran out fairly
comfortable two goal winners. Howard
gets tested late, Hibbo stifles Petrov, Elano is cr ap, Benjani is AWOL in the
second half and we have a red for the petulant Bulgarian. Stiles, well some quite good and some pretty
awful.
Short trip North East ensures a
good away turnout in Manchester. The weather didn’t douse the fans’ enthusiasm
or voices. Spark is added to the match
with Everton old boys Dunne and Ball playing for City and the stadium is a
regular haven for managers and ex managers.
Taking a pew are Big Sam, Peter Reid, Roy Keane, Steve Bruce and Fabio
Capello. On the pitch it’s a European
six pointer.
Moyes changes the side that
thrashed SK Brann and opts for a familiar 4 4 1 1. Howard keeps goal, Hibbert slots in at right
back, Yobo, Jagielka and Lescott operate to his left. Carsley and Neville sit deep with Pienaar
Osman and Cahill getting licenses to attack with Yakubu as the main forward. Some might call this 4 2 3 1 or 4 5 1 or 4 2
2 1, really just ignore them.
A SCOT AND A SWEDE WATCH THE BLUE ACTION AT EASTLANDS!
Hard to change a winning team so
Sven doesn’t. The Swede selects the same
eleven that beat Manchester United. Hart
keeps goal with a back four of Onuoha, Richards, Dunne and Ball, the five man
midfield is Petrov, Ireland, Fernandes, Hamman, Vassel
with Benjani up front on his own. A
pretty standard 4 5 1, although perhaps best suited to the away side.
City starts off on the front foot
and gets nowhere. All half they had
plenty of possession and did nothing with it, Howard had to come and punch or
claim a few balls but didn’t have to save.
Everton defended thirty yards out and a narrow City just kept mindlessly
bashing up against a blue wall.
City’s best cross came just
before the interval when Fernandes whipped a ball between Howard and the
defenders, Benjani spent too much time wondering what it was and the chance
went.
The visitors threatened Hart all
the first half, crisply bringing the ball out of defence or from a ball won in
midfield and going straight at City with pace and bags of ideas.
Richards probably didn’t give
Everton it’s first penalty of the Premier League season as Stiles was blind or
just unsighted.
Hart saves well from Yakubu at
the near post.
Pienaar hits the bar.
Finally the traveling fans get
their goal. Feed the Yak and he Will
Score!
A deep throw in down the right
comes infield to Yakubu, Cahill’s running off Hamman finds the diminutive Ozzie
in space, he beats the first man and whips a cross through the legs of the
second, Yakubu had continued his run and finishes with clarity and clamness
over Hart. Great move, super finish and
a well earned 0-1.
FEED THE YAK AND HE WILL SCORE - THAT'S SIXTEEN FOR THE SEASON SO FAR!
City’s response, Petrov; stifled
all night by Hibbert; blast one wide from twenty five yards.
Carsley is feeling up for the
game and starts an attack from his own half, he is fouled by Hamman on the edge
of the area and Stiles is just poor.
Everton keep cutting through the
City midfield and back line and win a corner, it goes way too long and the
Irishman is a willing runner. Carsley
looks up and lobs a ball to wards the back post, Dunne and Hart are ball
watching as Lescott adds to his excellent tally for the season with a neatly
finished looping header back over Hart and into the far corner. Sloppy defending seals the game.
GOAL SCORER AND GOAL PROVIDER CELEBRATE THE FORMER WOLVES DEFENDER'S EIGHGTH OF THE SEASON!
Eriksson removes Hamman; well
played by Cahill; and opts for the more fluid attacking verve of the Brazilian,
Elano. Moyes keeps his side the same,
just asks them to sit a little and take the pace out of the game.
Ball’s challenge prevents Cahill
from giving Everton and early 0-3 lead after good work with Yakubu off a throw
in.
City mount some pressure but
continue to be easy to defend, they lack width, Elano and Petrov aren’t
delivering good balls into the area, Benjani is barely a threat and the
substitutions don’t really change much.
It’s only in the final ten minutes when City start to try playground
football that Howard actually has some saves to make.
Mexican Castillo gets onto a
loose ball and fires through a crowd, Howard gets down well and Jagielka
clears.
Petrov fires one straight at
Howard, meat and drink.
A cross sees Howard punch the
ball against Benjani, Jagielka clears the loose ball.
Other than one Dunne chance; off
a dodgy free kick decision that Petrov delivered well; City were pretty dire
really.
Everton continued to threaten and
defend extremely well, Jagielka being outstanding alongside Yobo.
Pienaar is replaced by Fernandes
who is in turn replaced by JJohn son, perhaps worrying Moyes in terms of
upcoming games with Carsley suspended after a fifth Yellow.
JJohn son and the Yak had half
chances but Everton’s best second half chance fell to Carsley, the midfielder
took advantage of Stiles’ play on call and walloped the ball goalwards before
City had even organized a wall, Hart was equal to the shot and parried it
over.
Petrov’s petulance lands him in
hot water at the end of the match, an odd whistle from Stiles; although play
still goes on; see Yakubu run away from the Bulgarian who aims a kick at the
Nigerian. Nothing is given for that one. Almost at the end of the game Petrov looses
out to Osman and tries to play some footsie with the back of Osman’s calf.
Stiles thinks, “EH! I CAN GET IN THE HEADLINES TOMORROW LETS GIVE HIM A
STRAIGHT RED!” and dishes out an automatic three match ban. Even I thought it a bit harsh and I support
Everton.
PETROV TAKES AN EARLY BATH!
Everton outplayed and out thought
City in every department tonight. Bloody
brilliant performance from a team full of beans (‘swagger’ as Tim Sherwood
describes it). Threatening goals all
game and solid at the back, it could have been three or four nil instead of just
two nil. Many this season have talked
about how the team is pretty ‘workmanlike’ without Arteta. No Arteta tonight and hardly workmanlike!
Beating Manchester United was a
bit flukey and it showed. City tried
exactly the same stuff that didn’t work at Goodison and got beat. Substitutions didn’t work and moving from a 4
5 1 through to something resembling a 1 1 8 in the final minutes they still
barely troubled the visitors. Pretty
poor in all areas of the pitch. What can
be done to stop this malaise at home?
Stiles, headline grabbing
arse! He can play a good advantage
sometimes! How can the man who has given
more penalties than any other Premier League referee not point to the spot at
least once tonight? Burley slaughtered
him and I pretty much agree with most of what the Scot said. Still at the end of the day even cra ppy
refereeing couldn’t deny a thoroughly enjoyable win.
Goodison Park on a sunny Saturday. The expected three points didn’t come easy
but the splendid performance of Phil Jagielka at both ends of the field gave
the Blues the win. A few times with the
ball on the deck Everton looked good, mostly they looked out of sorts. UEFA Cup is next on the agenda. . .
Good support from both home and
away supporters was in evidence but sporadic, the home fans allowed the tense
feeling after two nil-nils to affect their noise. No Sylvester Stallone; which was a real shame.
Moyes opts for a 4 5 1 to start,
injuries, AWOL players and lack of fitness hamper his selection. Howard keeps goal, Neville moves to right
back alongside the returning Yobo and Jagielka, Lescott moves to the left. Carsley sits in front of the back four, Fernandes
is the deepest of the five midfielders with Osman and Arteta wide and Cahill
behind the lone John son.
Coppell continues to plug away
with his brand of football. Hahnemann
keep’s goal with Shorey, Sonko, Cisse and Murty at the back. Oster makes a return to Goodison with Harper
and Matejovsky covering in front of the defence Hunt on the left and Doyle
supporting the sole attacker, Kitson.
Howard gets a chance to warm his
hands after an early Hunt free kick gets a wicked deflection and almost creeps
in. Reading’s next best chance come right at the
end of the half with an Oster free kick having the bend to get over the wall
but not to get under the bar.
The first forty five was pretty
poor from the home side, in no small part to a well managed and resolute
Coppell side. Both sides harry, hassled,
hacked and herded each other with little opportunity to mount much attacking
threat.
Everton keep the ball, look
before they pass and keep their heads and create the first neat pattern of play
for the quiet crowd, Hahnemann is equal to the move but the opening was neatly
crafted.
Oster played well on his return, John
son ran fruitlessly chasing poor passes and high balls, Hunt was integral to
anything decent from Reading
and Fernandes was wasteful with his passes.
The home side always seemed second to the loose ball, even when they won
the tackle.
Cahill has the best opportunities
for the Blues, a late header crept over and a shanked effort well wide after
some neat build up play and a good Osman turn, had his Portuguese midfield
partner given the travel stained Aussie the shout the chance would have been
much easier.
Highlight of the first half
though was all about Ireland. Carsley let Hunt know he was there with a
pretty nasty tackle. Hunt stumbles and
falls then bounces up with his International compatriot firmly in his
crosshairs, one of his big defenders is quick enough of thinking to bearhug his
fiery teammate before fists fly and cards are issued. Storm in a teacup despite the commentary, two
minutes later they shook hands.
LADS! THE GOAL IS THAT WAY!
Moyes pulls of the ineffective
Fernandes and moves to a 4 4 2 with the introduction of Vaughn. Coppell keeps things the same. Thoughts go to Joe Royle in the commentary
box, “Second half is always better you know. Promise”.
Reading manages a quick shot to start the
second half. The Blue response takes a
little while to build but is much more potent than in the tepid first
half.
Six minutes in Vaughn skins Sonko
on the left and puts in a lovely ball that splits Hahnemann and his defenders, neither
Cahill nor John son can connect though.
Two players up front have given
Everton a different dimension, the game is more open and the home side is
staring to play and pass better.
First one corner is headed over
by Vaughn then a second is put wide by a defender as Everton pressure
mounts.
Arteta’s next corner is cleared
as far as Osman who intelligently plays the ball back in to the far post,
Jagielka has beaten the offside and loops a header over the American
‘keeper.
JAG RISES AND NODS HOME HIS FIRST PREMIER LEAGUE GOAL FOR THE BLUES!
The goal energized Everton; who
are starting to win more balls and play more in the Reading
half; Reading
are deflated but still gallant battle on.
Two Coppell changes redress the
balance with Malian international Kebe coming close after a terrible Lescott
mistake lets him attack Howard’s goal.
Jagielka’s last ditch block probably saves the three points.
The entire back line was peppered
late on, held well with Carsley filling in the holes.
Two chances come in the final
moments of the game, Harper gets onto a loose ball and a good shot takes the
paint off the upright. In front of the
Gladwys Street End John son can’t finish after rounding Hahnemann to open up Reading from a good Vaughn
header on.
Everton didn’t play well and they
still managed to get the points.
Jagielka was man of the match by a mile; although the entire back line
played well. Reading’s stifling play didn’t allow Everton
much room to pass or play and they looked most dangerous on set pieces. The three points is a welcome boon after two goalless
draws and UEFA Cup progression against SK Brann is next on the agenda.
Coppell’s side played well
without really threatening much. They came
for a point and looked good for it throughout the first half. Managerially the goal was soft and the lack
of much test for Howard is a worry. Too
good to go down, perhaps, seven losses on the bounce hasn’t demoralized Reading though they have
to pick up points and soon.
Halsey was excellent, a few good
advantages highlighted his intent and he didn’t need to brandish any
cards.
A different referee may have
given two penalties, although if one wasn’t given it’s unlikely the other one
would be.
GOOD GAME! GOOD GAME!
Praise where praise is due. Hopefully that will be noted in the other
post match reports or interviews.
Fulham put in a good first half whilst Everton were poor in parts. The Blues turn it around in the second and
Yakubu gets a hat-trick; another home win and now the Toffees are unbeaten in
ten.
Goodison Park
in filthy conditions presented a real English football experience. December in Liverpool
was wet, cold and windy, perfect for a game of football.
The conditions made the pitch
greasy and some of the players had a hard time adjusting. Plenty of fans traveled up from London but the ground was
quiet in the first half. Second half was
much better for both the home side and home fans. The managers have met previously with Preston not suffering a defeat to Wycombe in three
outings. The Moyes revolution began with
a home win against a Fulham side that shares no personnel with the side brought
to Liverpool by Sanchez today; with the
obvious exception of Mohammed Al Fayed.
PALE AND UNSMILING - JUST ONE COFFIN PLEASE!
Moyes; pale and unsmiling; went
with an attacking 4 4 1 1 formation.
Howard in goal, Yobo and Lescott in tandem in the back with Baines and
Neville as fullbacks. Carsley sat back
in the middle with Osman, Arteta, Pienaar providing the attacking options and
helping Cahill; acting as a withdrawn striker; and Yakubu up front.
Sanchez puts it on the line with
an attacking 4 4 2 formation away from home.
Niemi helped by a back four of Omozusi, Hughes, Stefanovic and Konchesky. A midfield quartet of ex-Blue Davies, Davis,
ex-Red Murphy and Kamara ; dropping back into midfield; supported a front two
of target man Kuqi and the more nimble and skilful Dempsey.
Fulham get up and at the home
side early on with some quick and smart play, they win a corner kick and Kamara
gets to the near post; a problem for Everton this season; before his marker,
his flick is wide of the far post. Yobo
gets in the right place to clear from Davies and Howard punches clear from
Dempsey. Fulham are bringing it to
Everton and the home side is rattled.
Carsley steps up to break the next Fulham attack and the home side break
quickly with a ball out to Arteta, a brilliant corner kick delivery and
Lescott; up for the set piece; gets in at the near post and forces a sharp save
from Niemi, the ball comes out to Pienaar who forces another corner, Arteta’s
dead ball delivery masterclass continues but Fulham clear, the ball bounces
around somewhat before it comes to Carsley who is shaping to shoot when Fulham
forward Kuqi steals the ball from him with a lovely piece of back
tackling.
Both teams have the right foot on
the pedal and the game is free flowing and end to end, this belies the greasy
pitch and the atrocious weather.
Pienaar shows good touch with a
flick for the overlapping run of Baines, the cross is driven in low and it
takes two to prevent Osman getting in a shot.
Kamara and Dempsey combine on the
left and get corner kick, it’s taken short and Pienaar forces the tricky Kamara
back and concedes a corner, the ball is delivered in the middle and Howard
claims well.
Kamara goes into the book for
foolishly encroaching on the Everton free kick, Arteta’s delivery is good but
Niemi is equal to this one.
You have to hand it to the commentators for this match – one of them really,
really, really doesn’t know anything about football – who in their right mind
would compare Phil Neville to Kevin Ratcliffe and Brian Labone the other ####
didn’t tell him he was totally wrong either – Setanta should stop filling the
Green Room with hallucinogens or just hire some proper commentators.
A GREAT FOOTBALLER...
ANOTHER GREAT FOOTBALLER... ...AND PHIL NEVILLE
Murphy hauls down Osman and
Arteta’s free kick takes a deflection of the wall and dips goalwards, Niemi is
sharp in turning it over his own crossbar.
Arteta delivers another peachy ball and a wide open Cahill at the near
post heads so wide it’s a throw in. A
glaring chance spurned.
THIS ONE WENT FOR A THROW IN!
Fulham comes out with a good,
quick break, Davies puts a nice crossfield ball into Konchesky and the willing
fullback’s touch lets him down and Yobo mops up.
Everton are playing a passing
game despite the conditions, their build up is patient and measured and full of
inventive running, Fulham are more direct but any ball that gets through to Kuqi
seems to cause the home side some consternation.
Konchesky plays in Dempsey on the
left, the American fluffs it and it goes for a goal kick.
Pienaar flicks a ball on for an
overlapping Baines run, again, the lively fullback races into the space and
then pulls up clutching his hamstring.
That’s not good, especially with no left fullback on the bench.
Baines comes off, Jagielka come
on, Neville goes to left back and Jagielka slots in at right back.
The change goes badly for
Everton, for the rest of the half they look slow, staid and bereft of ideas in
attack and flustered if still secure in defence. Surely a change in personnel cannot be that
demoralizing for the home team?
Fulham take advantage with some
fine and incisive play. But lack a final
ball to take advantage of the Everton malaise.
Their first attack flounders at
Dempsey’s feet, then they get a close offside decision go their way when
Everton fall back to a “hoof it long to the big front man” philosophy.
Davis’s free kick is woefully over
everyone.
Kuqi and Dempsey get their wires
crossed in a promising position. This
really ticks Murphy off, his ball in was pretty neat and ultimately
wasted.
Fulham break from an Everton
corner kick, Davis
is shaping to shoot when Osman comes back to force a corner with a good display
of tackling back.
Everton look shaky on the corner
but Murphy’s shot from outside the area goes wide.
Everton make a tactical switch
with Lescott going out to the left, Jagielka coming inside and Phil going back
to his right back spot.
This doesn’t change Everton’s
poor first half form much though.
Arteta fires one in which is easy
for Niemi.
A Davies free kick is wide, then
he is let down on the break with a poor pass for his defence splitting run, he
has to break his run and Everton have time to regroup.
Lescott gets up a gallop on the
left but the pace of Omozusi allows the Fulham fullback to clear ahead of the
Everton fullback.
Howard claims a Konchesky cross
to finish a half in which Fulham dominated after Baines went off but didn’t
have the final ball or pass to cut through the Everton defence and be bale to
beat Howard.
The Moyes half time team talk was
definitely on a par with that of Advocaat in midweek. The Everton players took the field in the
second half looking like a different team from the sorry looking figures that
trudged off after the first forty-five.
Sanchez’s bluster about winning and Wimbledon
obviously didn’t stick in the minds of the Fulham players.
Everton pressure from the whistle,
an Arteta free kick is well delivered but Lescott can only head it behind.
Yakubu is sloppy in his first
touch.
Lescott sees an effort blocked
and Fulham break then break down, Everton come out and a Yakubu ball in is met
by Cahill in the area but the Australian slips under a Stefanovic
challenge. Eventually Fulham clear but
only for a throw in, Neville shows his long one and Yobo is tugged in the
area. Fulham scramble the ball clear
only as far as Lescott, when the ball comes back in Cahill is offside but no
flag is shown, Everton don’t stop play and Pienaar lofts a beautiful ball
behind the mass of defenders on the edge of the area, Cahill volleys goalwards
and Niemi saves with his legs but Yakubu is in the right place at the right
time and finishes the scrappy; if effective; move with a tap in.
ONE WITH HIS RIGHT!
The goal elevates the crowd and
the home team but Fulham respond as well as they can. They stifle both Yakubu and Arteta on the
edge of the area and break with the ball, Kamara has his shot blocked and
Neville’s header out is poor, it comes to Murphy who from twenty yards lets rip
a lovely volley which Howard does well to get his hands to.
Everton are finding a rhythm and
Neville gets forward down the right and plays in a nice cross, Omozusi; without
a call from his ‘keeper and Pienaar lurking; heads behind. Arteta’s “How to take corner kicks – 101”
continues and Niemi does well to palm the delivery away, Yakubu puts the ball
back in and Fulham scramble the ball away.
Fulham’s more direct strategy still troubles Everton but Kuqi isn’t as
difficult to beat as he was in the first half.
Hughes does well in tackling
Arteta and in the heart of the Everton defence Yobo is displaying the art of
winning the ball without conceding a foul.
Slack marking in the middle
allows Kamara to cut in from the left and run at Everton. His neat lay off to Dempsey allows the American
to turn and fire a swirling volley at Howard, his USMNT compatriot palms the
ball down and to the side, Lescott emulates his Nigerian partner and robs the
ball from Kuqi in the area without giving away a needless penalty. Quality defending. The ex-Wolves man calmly hoofs the ball downfield
when he gets clear.
Fulham are nothing if not game
and come straight back at Everton only to be rebuffed again.
Arteta gets on the ball wide
right and cuts inside, he eschews the shot and dinks a cross to the back post
with his left, Omozusi half clears and Osman has a shot. Niemi’s save is decent but his block of
Pienaar’s follow up is brave and better.
Cahill, Arteta and Yakubu work together
down the left but Omozusi’s pace enables him to get to the ball and clear.
Arteta’s delivery is perfectly
met at the near post by Jagielka and an unmarked Yakubu leaps daintily to head
in his second.
ONE WITH HIS HEAD!
Fulham keep on plugging away but
after Kamara and Konchesky combine well on the left and force Jagielka into
clearing for a throw. When taken the
throw is a foul one, Everton have regained possession with a soft mistake.
Lescott shows his desire to join
in the Everton attack with a run along the touchline of seventy yards before he
wins a corner kick. Arteta finds Jagielka
at the near post again but the flick on goes behind.
Dempsey comes of for Sanchez’s
impact player, Healy.
Around the sixty fifth minute
Everton put on a cheeky display of possession, it takes a little over twenty
passes; all well cheered and olayed by the home fans; before Omozusi breaks it
up with a foul.
The possession is wasted and
Fulham come forward again, Neville needed to be sharp to clear Davies’s ball
in.
Pienaar; really starting to find
his feet, on both sides of the ball; plays a lovely ball across the pitch for
Arteta to run onto, the Spaniard looks favourite but the pace of the young Omozusi
wins that race.
Arteta tries a lobbed corner kick
which has Fulham scrambling to clear but isn’t really as effective as one of
his whipped in, flat, perfectly flighted balls he’s been delivering into the
teeth of some awful, North West weather all afternoon.
Yakubu gets clear on the right
and cuts inside, he doesn’t shoot and plays in ball for Arteta, the Spaniard is
grateful for the offside flag as his fluff of the easy tap in was
terrible,
Yobo clears from Davies, then
Kamara out leaps Howard to the return ball in, it falls to Everton who coolly
clear the ball out of the area.
Healy puts a cross behind as
Fulham; despite their lack of really talented players; still come at
Everton.
Seol comes on for Murphy and
Fulham seem to go to a 4 3 3.
Yakubu gets forward looking for
his third; he shoots wildly due to the lack of quick support. He gets into space on the other side moments
later but without support a corner is his only option. This is cleared and Fulham come forward,
Pienaar tracks back and wins the ball in his own half, a powerful run across
the park; right to left; pulls Fulham wide open and he cuts inside to play the
ball perfectly into Yakubu, the big Nigerian feints left as goes right and
passes into the far corner past a well beaten Niemi for his hat-trick.
THAT'S THREE!
Fulham still have the legs but
not the heart or the skill to penetrate a strong and buoyant Everton, whose
defence is occasionally a little soft but has held firm.
Johnson and McFadden come on for
Yakubu and Cahill and occupy much the same roles.
Pienaar plays in Arteta who
crosses for McFadden; the Scot goes for the near post forcing Niemi to push the
ball behind.
Healy gets into a good forward
position after some neat Fulham build up, he cuts inside and when the space
opens up chips one goalwards, Howard is off his line but fast enough over the
sodden ground to cover his goal. Pienaar
makes a run down the left and cuts the ball inside to Osman, the Englishman
find the Scot and McFadden cuts inside and tries to place one past Niemi, the
Finn is match for the shot. Johnson gets
open but his back post cross is a touch to pacy to enable McFadden to get a
touch and probably a goal.
Healy; bright and full of running
since he came on; gets a neat chip turned behind by Howard.
Everton started well then went
all pear shaped when Baines went off and they changed their players
around. They were tough enough at the
back with some superb defending from Yobo and Lescott to resist Fulham and
Howard had a good game in difficult conditions.
They got a break on the first goal, took full advantage of the bodged
call and never looked back. Wonderful
defending and slick attacking play saw them outplay the visitors. The three points are valuable as they now
have four away games on the bounce. Mikel
Arteta’s dead ball delivery was wonderful, time after time he put the ball into
a dangerous area which in the conditions was nothing short of brilliant,
Pienaar’s play is making the choice as to whether or not to make his loan
permanent easier, mostly. Lescott will
still get better.
Sanchez was good enough not to
moan too much about Cahill’s offside but his team wasn’t that good despite
plenty of possession. In a first half
where they had the ball and the attack they could do nothing with it. Then they just couldn’t match the home side
in the second half. They were at their
most dangerous from set pieces.
Bennett did well in the foul conditions
and kept his cards to a minimum, he got no help on the Cahill offside from his
assistant. Very good refereeing
performance.
Pompey and Everton battle to a nil – nil draw at a wet and windy Fratton Park.
The flags were taut on the South Coast
and the compact ground full and noisy for the clash of seventh versus eighth,
both side on good unbeaten runs seemed to hold the promise of an exciting
encounter. For all but the football
purist the game didn’t live up to expectations.
YAKUBU RETURNS TO HIS OLD STOMPING GROUND
4 5 1 was a testament Harry’s
thoughts on an Everton team that had scored seven last week. The home side had the free scoring Benjani as
the lone striker with a five man midfield of Utaka on the right, Kranjcar on
the left and Diop, Mendes and Muntari strung across the centre. The back four was Johnson, Campbell, Distin and Pamarot with James in
goal.
PLENTY OF SOLID LESCOTT DEFENDING AT FRATTON PARK - WHO CHOSE THOSE COLOURS?
Moyes went with a typical away
formation of 4 5 1. Howard keeps
goal. Yobo and Lescott continue to
develop their partnership in the middle of defence; Valente and Neville retain
their starting spot at full back. Carsley
anchors the midfield with Arteta on the right and Pienaar on the left and Osman
through the middle alongside the withdrawn Cahill, Yakubu plough alone furrow
up front.
The openness of the first minute or
two belies the tightness of the rest of the first forty-five. Two sides with a clean sheet in mind and a
relatively isolated front man makes for a congested midfield. Time and space are always at a premium and
the rapidity of the closing down and tough tackling (more from the visitors
than Pompey).
Kranjcar and Muntari are the two
best players for Portsmouth.
The Croat making some delightful passes;
including one sublime back heel; in a tight midfield and thrice finding the
space for shots, only one of which troubles Howard. The Ghanaian finds space sporadically during
the first half but his shooting boots are in the dressing room and he always
looks for power over placement or poise, Howard sees most of Muntari’s shots
blaze past his goal. His free kicks are
dangerously whipped in and Diop is inches away from a goal from a back post
Muntari delivery.
Benjani is almost forlorn up
front and despite the occasional flash of pace and trickery the Zimbabwean is
well marshaled by Yobo and Lescott.
Utaka is largely on the game’s
fringes and Johnson’s forward runs are occasional and largely handled
well.
Everton’s playmaker is largely
nullified with the lack of space and time in midfield; Pienaar takes the mantle
from Arteta and is at the heart of most of Everton’s forward plays. His feisty challenges earn him a card but
this is obviously frustration at the omission of McCarthy from the National
team for the African Cup of Nations.
Carsley is everywhere and busy,
Neville; obviously getting the benefit of being an ex Red Devil; doesn’t go in
Walton’s book but is full of running and even manages some decent crosses and a
shot on goal.
Yakubu finds plenty of space but
the support is slow in arriving and his skills don’t involve holding up the
ball.
Portsmouth’s threat is greater in the first
half but Everton manfully defend and keep the home back line honest with some
neat attacking of their own, neither side has the ability to deliver a telling
final ball or beat the goalkeeper.
Redknapp and Moyes maintain the
status quo in the second half. Curran
and Macari bemoan this lack of change as it promises more of the same.
Both sides have been energized by
the managers’ half time talk and the game is a touch freer. Osman is shaping to shoot but is denied by
stunningly timed tackle from Muntari.
Johnson plays a ball in which Kranjcar touches on, Howard is grateful to
see it whizz past the outside of the post and Muntari has another wild shot
from distance.
Moyes decides to change things
first with the introduction of Johnson for Pienaar a touch after fifty
minutes. Everton now move to a more
attacking 4 4 2. Johnson’s pace is an
immediate boost to Everton’s attacking options and the early Portsmouth advantage start to swing the way
of the visitors. Redknapp brings off the
less than effective Utaka for Kanu and shifts Benjani to the right, he still
respects the away side with his 4 5 1, the Nigerian is a better player than the
Zimbabwean at holding up the ball whilst waiting for midfield support.
Everton have some dangerous dead
ball situations off the boot of Arteta but James and his defenders cope well. Osman had the best chance early on but the
ball in from the left was a smidgeon too far ahead of the diminutive Academy
Graduate and James claimed.
Pamarot has two opportunities
around the edge of the Everton area but neither time picks the right option and
the introduction of Anichebe for Yakubu doesn’t pay dividends with the
youngster’ like Benjani; leaving his shooting boots at home, twice he had good
opportunities and twice his shots failed to trouble James.
Late on as Portsmouth push forward Lescott tackles Kanu
in the area to deny the veteran an opportunity.
The overall trend of the game really, Portsmouth did have more attacking
opportunities but a resolute Everton denies them any goals.
Redknapp will be happy at another
clean sheet but unhappy with the lack of tests for Howard. Tactically the home side stifled the visitors
but never pushed the players forward to really pressure Everton, 4 5 1 at home
is just a tad too defensive and unadventurous for my tastes.
Moyes will see the clean sheet
and the away point as excellent. With
another eight games this month an away draw is a good start to a crucial period
for the fortunes of the Blues.
Peter Walton had a decent if
rather lenient game, Neville and Pienaar can consider themselves lucky not to
have been punished more harshly.
The one blot on the afternoon is
awarding a free kick to Portsmouth
after Diop’s elbow to Lescott’s face draws enough blood to warrant a shirt
change for the Everton defender.
