Sunday, October 23, 2011

Everton: An important 3 points

Fulham did Everton a favour by not scoring in the dying minutes and Everton made them pay with two goals in injury time.

After hard-nosed Moyes continued to play the same personnel even after their back to back losses, he finally throw in Drenthe and Vellios into the starting line-up while Cahill and Saha have to warm the bench. Neville is also back in the first XI. Andy Johnson faces Everton and hopefully, he will score none.

Everton starts the game with a goal, and it's all Drenthe! In the 2nd minute, a tangle in the final third of Fulham's half saw Rodwell setting the ball up for Drenthe. He then runs with the ball before hammering the ball into the top left corner of the net. Fulham 0-1 Everton.

A lovely cross on the right from Bainesy in the 11th minute, and Rodwell's head was at the end of it. Just flew wide.

Drenthe is really giving his all against Fulham. Another good shot from the right in the 18th minute. Stopped by Fulham's golakeeper. Everton had another chance in the 20th minute. A flick by Drenthe to Hibbo. A juicy cross ensued but the end product by Vellios was poor.

A stupendous save by Howard to palm the ball away in the 24th minute. Total blinder of the shot but a one handed save! Must be the save of the season!

Everton will need to get their second goal in order to arm-twist Fulham to push men forward. Howard made another save in the 29th minute with a tip-over. The next 15 minutes of so was all Fulham. The half time whistle was definitely a good time for Everton to re-group. This is Everton's chance since Fulham has spent quite a bit of their strength playing in Europe during the mid-week.

Fulham starts the second half and Hibbo puts in a good last-ditch tackle to stop them from scoring. another close shave.

In the 50th minute, Everton brings Saha in for Vellios where the latter has done his fair share of running and troubling Fulham. Everton will really need to score one more goal to put the game away.

But instead, Everton was just backing up and are not picking up the attackers and they paid the price for it. Hibbo was totally out of position! Fulham 1-1 Everton.

Coleman and Timmy are in for Neville and Ossie respectively in the 75th minute. How did Fulham missed in the 88th minute? Rounding up Howard, he smashes the ball beyond the bar. Saving grace for Everton. And what happened next was truly a sucker punch for Fulham. Drenthe puts in a reverse header, Saha picked up the ball and slotted it past the goalkeeper. Fulham 1-2 Everton.

In quick succession. Everton wins a free kick on the left channel. A cross by Drenthe, Fulham defender cleared it only as far as Rodwell who drilled in a fine shot beyond the goalkeeper. Wonderful goal. Fulham 1-3 Everton.

Important three points. Everton now moves up the league table. Close, close shave.

Score: Fulham 1-3 Everton
Scorers: Drenthe, Saha, Rodwell
Assists: Rodwell, Drenthe
Subs: Saha, Cahill, Coleman

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Everton: Losing Streak

Yes, Everton have done well against Chelsea over the last couple of seasons, but we have not strengthen our squad and this time, it would be a tricky away game for Everton and results do not lie. The Toffees kept the same team that lost the Liverpool after Rodwell was wrongly sent off.

Everton have soaked in the early pressures well and even had a chance at goal via Saha from the left channel. Chelsea is giving Everton the chance to have a go at them. That would work well for Everton.

The first 20 minutes saw Felli putting in a number of poor first touches and even earning himself an early yellow card. Jag has also not been his usual steady self in the last couple of games. Chelsea has the lion share of the play but Everton is playing the counter attack.

Chelsea totally sliced Everton's defence apart in the 31st minute that resulted in a goal. So much for keeping a clean sheet. Chelsea 1-0 Everton.

Everton players are pretty static and it's worrying to see that we may even have a hard time staying in the top half of the table. Everytime The Toffees are in Chelsea's half, they lose all creativity. There was just a trickle of support from midfield. This is really the situation where you pay peanuts, you get Chelsea stealing even the last nut!

Oh did I say Chelsea scored about just at the half way mark. Chelsea 2-0 Everton. Enough damage for one half.

Second half and Ossie nearly score from the start only to be denied by the post. What luck. Everton then got sliced open once again in the 51st minute but thankfully it ended in nought.

Moyes and the rest of the Evertonians had enough. Drenthe in for Coleman in the 60th minute, and with that change, came Chelsea's third goal. How did that happen? Lightning speed. Chelsea 3-0 Everton.

Second change for Everton - Neville in for Cahill in the 71st minute.

Ossie had a good chance in the79th minute, but the ball did not pick up enough spin towards goal. Final change, Vellios for Saha in the 80th minute, and Vellios scores! How? A reverse header by Felli, Drenthe puts in a very quick cross from the left channel, and in came a sliding Vellios. Chelsea 3-1 Everton.

This game is a full write-off.

Score: Chelsea 3-1 Everton
Scorer: Vellios
Assist: Drenthe
Subs: Drenthe, Vellios, Neville

Saturday, October 01, 2011

Everton: The Referee Destroyed the Game!

Poor poor refereeing that cost Everton the game. Liverpool looked no more dangerous but the referee just had to give them the advantage by sending Rodwell off for a legit tackle.

At the start, this merseyside derby is all that Toffee fans are waiting for. Saha and Cahill lead the line. This is all so rare for Moyes to finally play the 4-4-2 formation. Moreover, it's Saha first start of the season. Still, a win against will put Everton above Liverpool for only the second time this season. We have Reds and Blues fans standing side-by-side. Some families in Liverpool are split down the line. But after 90 minutes, someone will have bragging rights till the next derby game.

Everton started with great fire and in the 2nd minute, it looked as if Cahill was pulled in the penalty area. Penalty not given. The ball reached Felli who shoots, deflected for a corner. Bainesy took the corner but it all came to a nought.

So close for Cahill in the 8th minute where Coleman floats a lovely cross into the penalty box. Cahill as usual, was there to head the ball. It was going in and only palmed away by Reina. In the follow-up ball, Distin came close to scoring. The defender cuts into the six yard box like a striker and lets fly. Just past the horizontal.

There was no contribution from Rodwell and the only thing that we see is a red card for him in the 24th minute. Disaster!!! It was not even a red card!!!!!!!! His tackle was totally fair. Now the referee is not playing fair. Cahill got a yellow for a high challenge when Adams too had a high boot. The referee has spoilt the game.

Jag gives away a penalty. Kuyt took it and Howard saved it!!! What a fantastic save! Right at the end of half time. Not this time Kuyt, not this time. In the last minute of extra time, Adams struck the ball towards goal. Bounced off the bar!

Second half, Everton just have to do it. It's 14 reds versus 10 blues.

Everton setting up a chance for themselves in the 52nd minute. Lovely movement up front that ended with Saha curling the ball beyond the goal. Everton making their first substitution - Drenthe on for Coleman in the 58th minute.

In the 60th minute, nobody wanted to mark Saha who strikes from distance. Missed right. Reina was furious! Neville on for Ossie in the 69th minute.

Pool scores in the 70th minute. It does not matter. Everton truly tried.

Final change. Vellios on for Hibbo in the 78th minute.

Pool scored another goal in 81st minute. Everton's trying everything that they have. Shot from distance, chasing every ball.

Just horrendous refereeing that cost Everton this derby game. Let's dedicate the game to the referee then.

Score: Everton 0-2 Liverpool
Scorer: Referee
Assist: Referee
Subs: Drenthe, Neville, Vellios