Time to spoil the party (part II) This has been a great season by recent Everton standards, three or four bad games aside we have been pretty good this season. We sit in fifth place with five games to go on merit. Only three teams have more Premier League wins than we do.
Then
I looked at the last five games of the season and those of Pompey and
Villa and even Sparky’s club and got a sinking feeling in my stomach.
Two difficult games against sides above us, one game with a UEFA
Cup hopeful and two against mid table cu_m relegation fodder. Normally I wouldn’t put it past us to get three wins a loss and a draw from that lot. This would put us on 70 points, pretty impressive and another huge step in the right direction.
Then I look at Pompey, particularly after their away win against the Hammers tonight. They have Toon, City, Blackburn , Boro and finish against Fulham. Even with the FA Cup you wouldn’t put it past Harry to snag four wins, even five isn’t that much of a stretch. That would see them with as many as 71 points.
Villa and
Blackburn are less of a threat and we can see of O’Neill’s men with a good win against them at Goodison.
Normally we have a bad game and move on, our current run of form is hardly good.
What worries me is the terrible run of performances recently. We started March with a great win over Pompey then played awful in Italy,
a win was a fair result in the North East and the 2-0 win against La
Viola at Goodison was magnificent; the penalty loss aside.
Seems like we left our heart in Europe .
They maybe our ‘bogey team’ but the loss to Fulham was really poor. Succumbing to the Hammers at home, ditto. The
Derby was really terrible, the first half we looked like a group of Sunday Leaguers. Then
we win against Derby , one of the worst teams to play top flight
English Football in ten odd years and we barely scrape by them, at home. This malaise has me more worried about teams below us overhauling us and us missing out on Europe next year. That concerns me much more than an almost hopeless chase for fourth.
Of course, I stay focused on Moysie and the lads and hope that we can win out and finish strong. We have had an excellent season that has so far exceeded realistic August
expectations and fifth place is in our own hands .
I just cannot help picturing Paula Radcliffe,
game and in a grand position for much of the race with an odd stride
that nobody else has and then someone overtakes her in the home stretch
or final bend and the fans all get behind her because they love a
gallant loser.
Excuse
me, I’m really fu_cking fed up of following a team of gallant losers,
following a team of ba_stard winners would be nice for a change.
Blue till I die.
Part one is on When Skies Are Grey for those who give a shiite!
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.
Let’s talk La Viola, ACF Fiorentina, the Serie A side from Florence. They play Everton in the last sixteen of the
UEFA Cup and currently sit a lofty fourth in Serie A.
CESAR PRANDELLI
Cesare Prandelli was the manager
at AS Roma before personal issues forced his resignation. He re-emerged at Fiorentina and has been
quietly building a team in Florence. He turned La Viola from relegation strugglers
into a fourth place team, scandal hit and they were striped of the Champions
League place and 15 points. Despite the
docked points Prandelli managed a very creditable fifth in the 06/07 season and
a UEFA Cup spot. 2007/08 has seen his
side well up the table and doing well in the UEFA Cup. He is a fashionista and has had to deal with
the death of his wife this season.
WHAT HAS FIORENTINA DONE THIS SEASON?
This Viola side has a lot more in
common with Everton than does a Svennaisannced
Manchester City,
perhaps.
Fiorentina has managed the last
sixteen of the UEFA Cup with wins the following.
Groningen on penalties in the first round.
In the group stages they faced Villarreal
(A), Effsborg (H), AEK Athens (A) and Mlada Boleslav (H) and came away with two
wins and two draws; they scored ten and let in four.
They comfortably beat Rosenborg
home and away.
In Serie A
They’ve played well, sometimes
poorly and sometimes spectacularly.
Similar to Everton they haven’t beaten the top sides (Milan, Inter and Juventus) this season but
have managed a few good draws. They
travel well and Mutu is in the race for the capponcanoniere award.
They aren’t exactly a hard or
tough team (at least they don’t get many cards) and they like to attack. Criticism of them talks about a ‘glass jaw’
and not knowing how to defend for long periods.
WHO ARE THEY AND WHAT CAN THEY DO?
Frey (FRA) – excellent
‘keeper. Will be the first choice for
the national side in a year or two.
Dainelli (ITA) – Mainstay of La
Viola’s defence, good solid centre back.
Ujfalusi (CZH) – right back
(plays in the centre for the Czech
Republic). Better going forward than defending, particularly
when pace is involved.
Gamberini (ITA) – solid centre
back and probably see action in Euro08.
Kroldrup (DEN) – big good and
works well with Gamberini – he’ll be making a return to his previous club and
no love will have been lost at all.
Potenza (ITA) – promising youngster with
limited opportunities at Fiorentina, definitely one for the future.
Pasqual (ITA) a left back, who
can play further forward, gives Fiorentina a good crosser and willing runner
who likes to take free kicks and corners.
Da Costa (POR) – a youth prospect
– unlikely to figure
Donadel (ITA) – creative
midfielder for Prandelli, can spread the ball about from deep or from the
flanks.
Semioli (ITA) – mostly wide right
in either the middle or in a three man attack, great crosser of the ball.
Liverani (ITA) – can play wide
left or in the middle, very creative with a good range of passing and a nice
turn of speed.
Montolivo (ITA) – creative
youngster, most used from the bench.
Gobbi (ITA) – utility player,
really a midfielder and much more comfortable in that position.
Kuzmanovic (SUI)– young midfield
starlet. Pace and plenty of energy, good
box to box and doesn’t really have a pair of scoring boots.
Jorgenson (DEN)– Utility and then
some, will fit in to any position and do a decent job.
Santana (ARG) – right sided
midfielder with attacking intentions, good pace, movement and trickery with a
good cross.
Mutu (ROM ) – Fiorentina’s main
goal threat and a potent weapon. Scores
from anywhere and comes off the flanks well.
A good lone striker or when paired with others. Cappocanoiere potential with 14 Serie A goals
on the season
Vieri (ITA) – wily veteran who
may have lost some pace, he still has a bagful of tricks and is a good target
man with an excellent positional sense.
Pazzini (ITA) – a great foil for
Mutu and having a wonderful season so far.
Pacy and athletic he can play wide or through the middle.
Papa Wiago (SEN) – new signing
and primarily a wide player, will fit into Fiorentina’s 4 3 3 quite well.
Cacia (ITA) – young forward who
can come of the bench and do a decent job.
Osvaldo (ARG) – new to Fiorentina
but already an impact player, pacy goal hanger.
WHAT FORMATION AND WHAT PLAYERS?
Typically Prandelli will go with
a 4 3 3 (although not the same sort of 4 3 3 that Grant uses at Chelsea).
If he has all his players
available then this is what I would suggest could be his starting eleven.
GK – Frey
RB – Ujfalusi
CB – Dainelli
CB – Gamberini
LB – Pasqual
RM – Semioli
CM – Kuzmanovic
LM – Donadel
CF – Semioli
CF - Mutu
CF - Pazzini
Bench –
Kroldrup
Montolivo
Liverani
Jorgenson
Vieri
Santana
FIORENTINA’S NEXT OPPONENTS
Fiorentina play strugglers
Livorno On Wednesday and then a tough trip to Turin to play the Bianconeri. Then they welcome the Blues.
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.
Ewood Park bathed in the sun of a Saturday afternoon
as the six or eight thousand traveling fans made the atmosphere sparkle. Three decisons changed the game. Despite the interference of the referee and
his assistant the game had plenty of talking points but not goals.
The trip to Blackburn meant
plenty of Blues fans had made the trip to Ewood Park. The weather was pleasant enough and the pitch
was in pretty decent condition. Teams
with European aspirations doing battle, the sort of game against your rivals
that is more important than the games against the top three, perhaps.
Without some key players Hughes
has to make do in defence. Friedel keeps
goal behind a makeshift back four of Emerton, Ooijer, Khizanishvili and
Warnock.
A five man midfield includes the
recently called up England man Bentley alongside Reid, Derbyshire, Dunn and
Pederson, Santa Cruz occupies the lone role up front in a 451 with the emphasis
on width and defence.
TURNER IS ABOUT 5'10" or 6' SO A STANDARD SIZED COFFIN WOULD BE ABOUT RIGHT...
Moyes battered by injuries and
ACoN absentees picks a pretty standard 4 4 1 1.
Howard keeps goal, Neville drops into the defence alongside Capello
favourite, Lescott, Jagielka and Baines.
Carsley sits in front of the back four alongside Fernandes, Osman plays
on the left with Arteta on the right. Cahill
operates behind Johnson in attack.
As early of the second minute
Blackburn show that they have been watching and preparing for the visit of
Everton, Santa Cruz
easily evades his marker and gets behind Carsley at the front post but glances
his header just wide.
Two sides with one foot in the
‘clean sheet then score’ camp provide a scrappy opening; space and time are at
a premium as defence and midfield are solid and clogged respectively.
Friedel’s first real test comes
after Lescott romps upfield and plays in Neville, the cross is good but
Johnson’s run isn’t and the big American stopper comes to claim the cross.
The visitors start to dominate
possession but don’t really do much with it.
SPOT THE BALL
Dunn gets a yellow for a tackle
on Arteta.
Blackburn’s
strength on the wide positions is demonstrated with a cunning Pederson free
kick.
Everton pressure from the right
sees Arteta play some give and go with Cahill, space opens up for the Spaniard
and Friedel does well to parry the ball wide, from the corner kick an Osman
drive narrowly misses the upright.
Bentley demonstrates his intent
as Everton display their closing down and the shot goes well high.
Dunn is bamboozled by a cheeky
Neville flick so deliberately uses his hand to win the ball. Riley is only a few yards away and gives the
foul but mysteriously decides that the rules for ‘deliberate handball’ don’t
apply this afternoon and all Dunn gets is a brief chat.
More Everton pressure and another
corner kick and Jagielka’s stab is headed off the line from Dunn.
Neither manager makes half time
changes.
The first half starts with a wh!z
b@ng wh@llop.
Bentley forces a good save from
Howard as he breaks down the right channel and unleashes an unexpected low
drive. Howard clears his lines quickly
and Everton are on the counter, good work down the left see the ball arrive at
Cahill’s feet, he spots the late run of Fernandes and lays the perfect ball on
a plate for the Portuguese midfielder.
The away fans behind the goal groan as Fernandes manages to whack the
ball straight at Friedel.
The play calms down but Everton
retain the ball better and attack better, they aren’t able to really test
Friedel.
Arteta has his range on the dead
ball deliveries and a fantastic cross from the right is too good for anybody
else on the pitch and sails harmless through the six yard box at the perfect height
for the merest of glances to turn it in the net.
The game drags on and starts to
get feisty, two or three dodgy calls from Greg Turner, one classic in which
Arteta is bustled off the ball from behind his flag goes up for a Blackburn
throw in and Riley comes rumbled over from thirty odd yards away and reverses
the awful and wrong decision.
Fernandes hits the base of a much
relieved Friedel from a free kick.
Hughes makes a second change and
turns the game, Tu#### replaces Derbyshire which added to the inclusion
previously of McCarthy gives Blackburn that
boost up front and in the middle. The
game is more open now with Blackburn able to
keep the ball, build pressure and threaten Howard.
Late on Vaughn shows great desire
and beats a Blackburn defender to the ball,
Friedel comes out but Vaughn shows his mettle with a challenge against Friedel
that wins the ball, the Everton substitute is first to the loose ball and hooks
it into the path of the onside Johnson, the Everton striker rounds and
Khizanishvili and scores. Only when the
ball is in the net does Mr. Turner raise his flag for offside.
GLEN, WORLD CUP OR NOT YOU GOT IT WRONG YESTERDAY!
Tu#### has a late chance and to
end the game Santa Cruz
gets free in the area and smashes the ball just over the crossbar.
Everton played well enough
considering they fielded two players carrying knocks and a third who is not
fully match fit. They played well in
parts against a difficult opponent and created some good chances that they failed
to take. When they did take them they
were penalized. Had they played the
match against the ten men following Dunn’s handball things may have been
different.
A point away isn’t too bad a
result and we are still in fourth. The
team is missing Yakubu, Pienaar and Yobo.
Hughes played a makeshift back
four that managed to keep a clean sheet.
His substitutions made the game closer than it should have been and he
got lucky with some wrong decisions. His
team is built to be hard and tough but that hampers the goal threat. Considering a point against a top four team
is quite a good result for Sparky. His
moaned about McCarthy not getting a penalty can be ignored, he was fifty yards
away at the time.
Riley was his usual good
self. Plenty of common sense applied and
officiated with a smile and without getting flustered.
Three decisions changed the
game.
First only he knows why he
ignored the following and let Dunn continue to play.
Disciplinary sanctions
There
are circumstances when a caution for unsporting behaviour
is
required when a player deliberately handles the ball, e.g. when a
player:
•
deliberately and blatantly handles the ball to prevent an opponent
gaining
possession
Second he ran thirty or more
yards to correct a wrong call from the near touchline assistant referee, Glen
Turner.
Third he didn’t stop play when
McCarthy went down quicker than a strumpet’s knickers at Mardi Gras under the
challenge of Jagielka.
Glen Turner may have gone to Germany to
officiate at the World Cup but his wrong offside decision against Andy Johnson
was poor form. You can see it in his
mind, “these blue boys have been shouting at me all this half, and I’ll show
them”. If an assistant doesn’t actually
know how to recognize what an offside is or isn’t then he shouldn’t be on the
touchline.
JJB Stadium; a football game in a rugby town, a football game on a
rugby pitch. Perhaps that’s why the
stadium is rarely filled for football?
Both Moyes and Bruce keep improving their sides. Today though Everton were an example of a
team not playing particularly well but taking all three points. Wigan had more ball but couldn’t really use
it, Bramble has his usual howler and the pitch more than played a part in an
away win.
...and it was only after I'd finished burying him that I realized his coffin was upside down..!
Almost a local derby; but not
quite; plenty of fans made the trip to the JJB Stadium from the City Of Culture. Expectations were high from both sides. Moyes’ side continues to do well in the
Premier League and Bruce’s squad seem too good to go down. The pitch was heavy and was cutting up during
pre match practice. Kept on the heavy
side for the rugby games; it’s not a great surface to play on, for either
side.
Bruce selected a bit of pace and
guile wide but more grit and grind in the middle, height and crosses looked to
be the order of the day. Pretty orthodox
4 4 2 for the ex United defender, Kirkland
keeps goal behind a back line of Melchiot, Scharner, Bramble and Kilbane
(himself an ex Blue). The middle had new
signing Palacios on the right with Brown and Landzaat inside him and Valencia
on the left. Bent and Heskey provide
brawn up front.
Moyes goes with his familiar 4 4
1 1. Howard keeps goal, Hibbert,
Lescott, Jagielka and Valente provide the defence. Carsley sits in front of the back four
alongside Neville, Osman; returning after injury and Arteta. Cahill operates behind Johnson in attack. Johnson and Osman returning to fitness is a
boost as is the form of Jagielka. This
team provides a limited type of attack but plenty of options from
midfield.
Palacios looks bright and show
some strength on the ball but poor finishing in the early going and for the
visitors Arteta shows a good first touch and a heavy second in the Wigan area.
The opening play is patchy;
neither team is helped by the heavy pitch which makes passes harder to pick out
and saps the strength of the runners.
Wigan
is playing some neat football on the left with Palacios showing well and in the
middle they are overpowering the visitors.
Their second half chance comes on the left with Valencia
cutting inside and laying the ball into Melchiot, the ex-Chelsea player misreads
the ball and Everton clear.
Arteta picks up a stupid yellow
card, he gets a second chance to deliver a better ball in from another free
kick in a similar position and Bramble does well to hurry Carsley whose volley
sails over the bar.
It takes Everton a little over
fifteen minutes to create their first good passing move, Johnson win the ball
in the middle and plays it to Neville, the return ball finds Johnson in space
and he is able to cross under pressure from Melchiot, Arteta has time to pick
his spot but only fires straight at Kirkland who is agile enough to parry the
ball away.
Wigan
get their first corner kick a little after twenty minutes, poor Everton marking
by Neville allows Bent a free header, Howard is alert enough to palm the ball
onto the bar before it is cleared.
Everton are disjointed and
struggling, which is as much down to Wigan’s harrying
physical play than as Everton’s incohesiveness and the heavy pitch.
Wigan
is having plenty of the ball, their approach work is good but the final ball in
or the finishing touch isn’t good enough.
Everton are sitting and defending and Heskey is losing the physical
battle with Lescott.
On thirty eight minutes Wigan
come undone, Everton continue with their dogged defending and Arteta plays a
speculative ball up the right flank, Johnson chases; as he has all game;
Bramble is perfectly positioned to cut across Johnson and play the ball back to
his keeper, the defender’s touch is terrible and Johnson nips in front to pick
up the soft back pass. one-on-one with Kirkland the striker
calmly slots the ball between the keeper’s legs for the opener.
Try not to do it against Chelsea!
Wigan’s
mistake prone defender shows some mettle with a few good challenges and
clearances in the moments after the goal.
Everton; rejuvenated by the goal;
come at Wigan and force a corner, Bent’s aerial prowess clears the first ball
behind but the second corner is horribly defended, a momentary lapse of
defensive skills for Wigan as the ball bounces around in the six yard box before
Osman hooks it to the back post, Lescott scores with a smash of a volley to net
his seventh of the season.
Melchiot and Valencia combine on the right to put in a good
cross but no Wigan player is alive to the
delivery.
Neither manager makes half time changes.
Wigan
start the second half in second gear as Everton look for a third, the home side
has to be alert to clear a well delivered Arteta free kick.
Two substitutions change the
complexion of the game. Bruce brings off
Heskey and Landzaat and brings on Sibierski and Koumas. The midfielder’s first touch is priceless, a
sweetly delivered ball to the back post which Howard comes for but doesn’t
reach, an unfortunate Jagielka is unable to move aside as the ball hits him and
caroms into the net. Really poor
goalkeeping.
The goal invigorates Wigan but their best moments all come from Koumas free
kicks which Everton aren’t inclined to be generous with.
Plenty of Wigan play in front of
the visitors but a lack o####ood final ball or a final ball which isn’t picked
up is a feature of Wigan’s play.
Vaughn’s introduction for Neville
gives Wigan some defensive problems and the game opens up a touch, but poor
passing deprives Wigan of their one sniff off
goal as they break quickly and leave Everton vulnerable.
The home side keeps plugging away
but can’t prise open he obdurate Everton defence.
Everton didn’t play well today, Wigan we’re able to frustrate them for most of the game,
defensively though the visitors looked calm and collected. What surprised me most were the
substitutions. The heavy pitch will have
taken its toll and Wigan weren’t exactly
peppering Howard’s goal so earlier and more substitutions would have made
sense. Let Anichebe, Vaughn and
Fernandes come on and give, Johnson, Cahill and Osman a rest. A good away win though when not at our best. Osman’s form was bright, with some good
passing, tackling and he almost bagged a sweet goal.
..Andy, it feels so smooth!
Bruce shows what he can do
without a huge investment in the team. Wigan played well for long stretches of the game with Palacios
bright throughout. They might feel they
deserved something from the game for their efforts but the contest is about
goals and they rarely tested Howard and rarely found balls to test the Everton
defence. The substitution’s had an
immediate impact and Koumas’ free kicks were Wigan’s
main threat.
Another game where they played
well but didn’t win. That form should
stand them in good stead when playing the sides further down the table.
Probert wasn’t very good. Inconsistent.
Lenient. Authoritarian. He didn’t get anything major wrong but got a
lot of the basics wrong. I’d love to get
a read of his match report to see why he booked Arteta. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a yellow card
given in that situation before. Cahill should have got a yellow.
