Sunday, December 09, 2007

EVERTON vs FULHAM - FULL TIME

So many positives today even though the weather placed a dampener on things.

Both teams were having a go at each other with Lescott making the opposing keeper save as early as the 2nd minute. Baines, Ossie, Cars, Pienaar and Timmy were all very lively in the first 10 minutes. Arteta has also caused mayhem in the opposing area with his pin-point corners and free kicks.

But Everton had to make a change. With a nice one-two that set Bainesy away on the left flank, he slowed to a stop as he had pulled his hamstring and had to be replaced by Jag in the 22nd minute.

Somehow with the change, the nature of the game seemed to lose its fluidity. Yaks looked a bit flat in the first half even though he was a ready runner. Playing as a loner striker, they will just have to find a way to break Fulham down. It was not one sided though Fulham has not made an impact in the final third. Half time.

Second half saw Everton attacking the way they did in the first 10 minutes of the first and it soon led to Everton's first goal. With a high header into the opposing penalty area, Timmy lashed the ball towards goal. The opposing goalie parried the ball only as far as Yaks who placed the ball beyond the goalie. 1-0 to Everton.

The goal has removed the shackles and Everton started to attack with pomp. But it did not mean that Everton did not have their fair share of scares from Murphy and Dempsey.

After an Ossie try that the opposing goalie somehow saved, Arteta once again took a sweet corner which Jag had a flick-on and Yaks headed the ball into the net. 2-0. Yaks seemed to have came alive in the 2nd half. Arteta had been delivering great crosses all throughout the game. Ossie also seemed to be having his better game today.

Jag is also showing what a quality player he is with him popping into the penalty box with headers and creating a nuisance of himself there.

Yaks created an opener in the 68th minute when he broke free from the offside trap and squared the ball to Arteta. The last man recovered in time to tap the ball beyond Arteta. One good chance went bagging.

In the 75th minute, Yaks ran after a high clearance and was behind the opposing defender. He used his body strength well and surged past the defender who made a quick recovery and slid the ball out for a corner.

That did not deter Yaks from scoring the third in the 78th minute. A nice through pass from Pienaar cut the opposing defence into half. Yaks took hold of the ball, cut back from a charging defender, and dispatched the ball nicely into the top right corner of the goal. 3-0! and Yaks has his hat-trick.

Off Timmy and Yaks who have clocked in a good shift. On came AJ and Faddie. This is Everton with depth as the substitutes could walk into most teams in the Premiership.

Faddie made the keeper save twice since coming on. Both AJ and Faddie looked lively too.

Wondering win. The first hat-trick in four years. Everton has also extended their unbeaten run to 10. Moyes is definitely the best manager for Everton in the 21st Century.


Score: Everton 3-0 Fulham
Scorer: Yaks (3)
Assists: Timmy, Jag, Pienaar
Subs: Jag, AJ, Faddie

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