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.
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.
Missed out on Europe
by three points but played well with good signings, Redknapp has strengthened
the squad looking to climb higher this season.
Yet again he has shown some astuteness in his transfers.
Transfers:-
IN: David Nugent (Preston, £6m),
John Utaka (Rennes, £7m), Sulley Muntari (Udinese, £7m), Sylvain Distin
(Manchester City, free), Hermann Hreidarsson (Charlton, free), Martin Cranie
(Southampton, £150,000), Arnold Mvuemba (Rennes, undisclosed)
A Championship striker looking to
make the grade, a Nigerian forward, an exciting Ghanaian prospect, a City
reject, a quality Icelander, an English prospect and a loaner made
permanent.
James was the best English ‘keeper in the Premier League last
year and probably top three, still has the occasionally calamity but good
between the sticks, Ashdown can only improve being James’s understudy.
If James stays fit Harry will be happy, problems if he gets a
knock or two.
Defence:-
Primus is experienced and still
quality at centre back, Stefanovic brings experience and adaptability to the
back line, he’ll have to compete hard to start at left back., Lauren is still
to find his feet at Portsmouth but is a decent right back, Traore will provide
good experience and competition at left back, Hreidarsson exudes class
determined and good with the ball, makes any team he plays for better, Taylor
quality out wide with a penchant for stunning goals, Distin is solid at the
back and a good addition, he’ll provide good competition for places, Pamarot
may not play too many games but he’s a decent right back, Cranie is a prospect,
Campbell is only 32 and still has bags of quality, likely Captain at Pompey
this season, Duffy is a prospect and O’Brien is experienced cover.
Midfield:-
Muntari will blossom under Harry
and then leave for a bigger club, meanwhile he’ll be a great signing and prove
valuable in the Premier League, Mvuemba will provide depth, Kranjcar will get
goals and has a good footballing brain, Hughes is experienced cover, O’Neil
will do well if he plays in the middle, Davis has been playing well for
Portsmouth in the middle and Mendes is a key midfield fixture for Portsmouth
and contributes goals.
The new signings will work and
Muntari will allow Kranjcar and co more freedom to attack.
Attack:-
Nugent was quality at Preston but can he make the Premier League his own? Utaka
brings plenty of goals and experience to the mix, Mwaruwari will provide good
depth with his experience, Kanu still has a great first touch, he’ll be a
useful substitute or partner for one of the more traditional forwards and
LuaLua can be good but isn’t consistent
Some new talent and more
established players, the mix could be exciting but it could also flop,
particularly Nugent.
Manager:-
Redknapp is one of England’s best
managers, he is able to create a competitive team without much money, he has
the knack of doing well in the transfer market and he has resurrected a career
or two and has tactical nous. Now he has
a bit more cash to spend as well.
Redknapp will want to compete for
a European spot this season. They will
be a top eight team at least and probably do well in one Cup.
Reading FC
Missing out on Europe
by a couple of points in the first Premier League season show the team’s quality
and the manager’s nous. They have a good
club set up and haven’t been mad with transfers as they seek to reach further
heights.
A Frenchman from FC Nantes and
another Frenchman from Portugal.
OUT: Steve Sidwell (Chelsea, free), Greg Halford (Sunderland,
£3m)
Goal:-
Hahnemann is solid with plenty of
experience, he was kept busy last season but had plenty of stops, Stack is the
number two but got plenty of outings in Cup competitions last season, Federici
has lots of potential and Hamer is a prospect.
Surprisingly solid in goal, with
some depth, Hahnemann needs to continue his good form or Reading will struggle.
Defence:-
Murty is a key right back and orchestrates
Reading’s back line, Shorey is a quality left back with talents that got him an
England call up, Sonko will be looking to come back strong from injury, #13
will be its usual boisterous self, dependable and ever present since 2001,
Halls will be looking to break into the first team if he is injury free,
Ingimarsson has been solid at the back for the Royals for a couple of years,
he’ll continue in that vein and look to create a solid partnership with
whomever gets the other centre back role, Sodje will struggle to make the first
team but is good cover, Bikey showed promise when he came in at the back, will
make it tough for Sonko to win back his place, De La Cruz is an experienced
fullback with international experience, good squad player, Brown will miss the
start but shows promise, Bennett is a good prospect, Osano is a versatile
prospect, Duberry still has plenty to offer Reading and will be; at the very
least; good cover at the back, Gilbourne
and Pearce are promising youngsters and Mate has great goal scoring record from
the back but a knee injury ruled him out for much of his loan spell.
Plenty of depth and good competition
could do with protecting the ‘keeper a little better.
Midfield:-
Cisse is going to help in the
middle, a little bit of an unknown
quantity, but maybe a Sidwell replacement, Gunnarsson is a good tackler who
scores important goals, Little is a wide player who can run at people and
crosses well, Hunt is developing well under Coppell and is getting more play on
the left, Oster is a good squad player and can play either wing, Harper is
solid in the middle for reading, Convey is looking to get back into the squad after
an injury scuppered him last season, Seol is pacy on the wing and pops up with
goals, Fae is a promising young French midfielder who has experience and goals,
Henry Davies and Bozanic are young prospects.
Sidwell’s departure shouldn’t be
too much of a blow with players coming back from injury and some young
talents.
Attack:-
Lita will stay at Reading but
will likely miss the start of the season, his goals have helped make Reading
more than just a club who fights for League survival, he’s shown he can score
against the top clubs, Doyle keeps ####ing in the goals for the Royals, a good
young Irish talent, Kitson scores goals and shows toughness in coming back from
injury, he’ll look to bag a hatful in his first full Premier League season,
Long provides youthful cover in attack and Cox can play in midfield as well as
score goals, adds good depth to the squad.
A touch light if injury strikes
but no shortage of talent and they can score against top clubs Lita will be
tough to replace if he is poached.
Manager:-
Coppell’s playing days were cut
short by injury but his managerial skills are blossoming, he’s shown his skills
with his high finish with no big names and they still play attractive
football.
Top eight for sure and if the new
signings are really exceptional then a place in the top six isn’t too far
fetched, the Royals will focus on the league, Sidwell may not be as hard to
replace as you’d think.
Sunderland FC
Championship Champions will be a
tough act to follow especially with a history of yo-yoing between the top two
divisions in recent years. Are Quinn and
Keane the two guys to return a semblance of glory to Sunderland?
Transfers:-
IN: Paul McShane (West Brom,
£1.5m), Kieran Richardson (Manchester United, £5.5m), Michael Chopra (Cardiff,
£5m), Russell Anderson (Aberdeen, £1m), Greg Halford (Reading, £3m), Dickson
Etuhu (Norwich, £1.5m), Craig Gordon (Hearts £9m)
A rising Irishman, a Manc reject,
one goal every two games for Cardiff, a Scottish mercenary, a Reading misfit,
an ex Canary and a very expensive Scot,
OUT: Stephen Elliott (Wolves,
undisclosed), Tommy Miller (Ipswich, free), Arnau Riera (Falkirk,
loan), Kenny Cunningham (released)
Goal:-
Gordon will either make or break
Sunderland’s Premier League return, if he’s that good they’ll climb into the
top half of the table, if he’s cack then they’ll just avoid the drop, a ballsy
acquisition, Carson will be the
The Premier League is better than
the SPL and more o####rind than internationals, but Sunderland
will be a more settled environment than Hearts.
Defence:-
Halford didn’t show much quality
with Reading, but he is young and may fit in at the Black Cats, Nosworthy is a
converted right back playing in the centre, he’ll want to perform better in the
Premier League this time around, McShane has improved as he has moved and now
faces his sternest test so far, Collins is a manager’s choice and an ex Seal,
Anderson is a good team player who wants the next challenge, he’ll add depth at
the back, Clarke, the ex-Potter is injury cover, Varga is good defensive cover
who will want to bring his SPL experience to the field, Hartley is a prospect
and Wright is injury prone cover.
Tough time in store for this
defence, the Black Cats let in 47 goals last season, 69 in their last Premier League
season, Watford let in 59 in relegation form and
in their promotion season they let in only 43; the picture isn’t particularly
bright at the Stadium of Light.
Midfield:-
Edwards is good on the right, can
score goals and shut down opposition players and had a flying start, Whitehead
has been consistently good for Sunderland and can play at the back, Richardson
will look to nail down a regular first team place and brings Premier League
experience to the mix, Miller has never quite lived up to his early promise,
Hysen has already become an impact player at Sunderland, good goals from
midfield, usually the left, Leadbitter is a dependable player with an eye for
goal, Kavanagh can attack and defend in midfield, a useful utility player,
Richardson; once released by Sunderland; will play well in the reserves,
Wallace brings good pace out on the flanks and can fill in a left back and
Etuhu brings plenty of Championship experience to the mix.
A good Championship midfield with
a penchant for goals, life will be tougher in the Premier League, one or two of
the wide players will shine.
Attack:-
Stokes is a prospect (2), Murphy
brings one goal every five games to the mix but scored freely in the
Championship season, (10), John has bags of experience, pace and an eye for
goal(4), Chopra scored freely for Barnsley and Cardiff but his Toon routes have
irked some fans, if he doesn’t score freely they’ll be on his back, Yorke still
has talent and will be good cover in the attack, his premiership experience will
be useful and Connolly was last season’s top scorer and has plenty of goal
scoring experience.
This is a free scoring front
line, youth and experience; goals will be harder to come by in the coming
season.
Manager:-
Great player and one good
managerial season. He’ll be a good
motivator but can he get to grips with the tactical nature of Premier League
management, so far two of his three most expensive buys are risky gambles, if
they come off he’ll manage to get into the top half, if they don’t work then
he’ll just keep above relegation.
