Actim Players Ranking: 280409

Everton players in the Top 100.

Lescott: 21st (419) - Third best defender (6/1), (13/1), (14/4), (21/4), Fourth (20/1), (24/3), (7/4), Fifth (3/2), (17/3), (28/4) - Best position: 15th
Howard: 25th (409) - Fifth best goalkeeper (6/1), (13/1), (7/4) - Best position: 23rd
Fellaini: 37th (376) - Best position: 31st
Arteta: 44th (368) - Third best midfielder (10/2), (17/2), (24/2), (3/3), (10/3), Fourth (16/9), (13/1), (3/2), Fifth (2/12), (9/12), (15/12), (23/12), (20/1), (17/3) - Best position: 6th
Neville: 45th (364) - Best position: 35th
Timmy: 47th (362) - Best position: 38th
Jag: 56th (352) - Best position: 38th
Ossie: 60th (347) - Best position: 50th
Baines: 76th (320) - Best position: 69th

Previous Top 100.
Yakubu: 86th (133) - Fifth best striker (23/9) - Best position: 9th
Yobo: 84th (168) - Best position: 76th

Everton is Through to the New Europa League!

Everton need not even kick the ball. Chelsea won their game against West Ham yesterday and thus, the Blues has guaranteed their own place in the Champions League. With this, the runners-up of the FA Cup tie will be guaranteed a european placing.

I hope that with this revelation, the Everton players can still maintain their hunger for the game and give it their best shot to finish fifth in the Barclay Premier League's standing.

COYB!

EVERTON (1) vs (2) MAN CITY - FULL TIME

Everton's mounting list of injury.
Courtesy of http://www.evertonfc.com/

Once again, Everton's match was not shown on cable. I'ts always the "big four" matches that are being shown. Well, too bad I guess.

Anyway, Robinho chose this match to showcase his talents. The Brazilian scored one and set up one. This was Everton's third game in six days and yes, this is not an excuse as to why Everton lost the game. Today, Manchester City was just more hungrier than Everton. They were also putting Everton on the back foot with their fast counter attacks.

Two sucker-punch goals in each half of the game saw Everton reeling. Coupled with the fact that Jag wne out injured after Moyes had made his three substitution, Everton was playing with a man down but was still able to claw a goal back with Gosling tucking in a Pienaar cross...but it only happened in the 94th minute.

Score: Evertom 1-2 Manchester City
Scorer: Gosling
Assist: Pienaar
Subs: Vaughny, Timmy, Gosling

CHELSEA (0) vs (0) EVERTON - FULL TIME

Battle of the two shorties
Photo courtesy of www.evertonfc.com

After a glorious win over Manchester United in the FA Cup Semi Final tie, Everton had to face the mighty Chelsea, whom the Toffees will face once again in the FA Cup Final.

I was half expecting Moyes to field a weakened side due to the exertion of the players in the 120 minute+penalty kick thriller in the cup tie. But it turned out that key players were still included in this squad, with the exception of non cup playing players such as Jo, Castillo, Jacobsen and Yobo.

Everton took the match to Chelsea and they created a whole load of problems for the Chelsea defence. Jo had a host of chances but the opposing goalkeeper was equal to the task. Howard also pulled off a couple of stupendous save to help maintain parity.

Score: Chelsea 0-0 Everton
Scorer: Nil
Assist: Nil
Subs: Saha, Rodwell, Jag

Actim Players Ranking: 210409

Everton players in the Top 100.

Lescott: 15th (412) - Third best defender (6/1), (13/1), (14/4), (21/4), Fourth (20/1), (24/3), (7/4), Fifth (3/2), (17/3) - Best position: 15th
Howard: 25th (389) - Fifth best goalkeeper (6/1), (13/1), (7/4) - Best position: 23rd
Fellaini: 31st (369) - Best position: 31st
Arteta: 32nd (368) - Third best midfielder (10/2), (17/2), (24/2), (3/3), (10/3), Fourth (16/9), (13/1), (3/2), Fifth (2/12), (9/12), (15/12), (23/12), (20/1), (17/3) - Best position: 6th
Jag: 41st (354) - Best position: 38th
Neville: 42nd (354) - Best position: 35th
Timmy: 44th (353) - Best position: 38th
Ossie: 64th (323) - Best position: 50th
Baines: 75th (305) - Best position: 69th

Previous Top 100.
Yakubu: 86th (133) - Fifth best striker (23/9) - Best position: 9th
Yobo: 84th (168) - Best position: 76th

FA CUP: EVERTON (4) vs (2) MAN UTD - FULL TIME

Everton wins through penalties
Courtesy of www.evertonfc.com

This is the best chance for Everton with Manchester Utd playing quite a few of their second stringers! Still the opposition backline is pretty impressive - Vidic and Ferdinand.

Felli pt in a beautiful through pass in the 10th minute but the person at the end of the ball - Neville - was far from being a striker and thus, ballooned the ball wide. In the 21st minute, Man U's goalkeeper nearly went suicidal as he took too long to pump the ball out of his penalty box and was caught by Saha but was saved by a fortunate deflection.

Everton is under bombardment at this point. Still, there were one or two chances but other than that, it's a pretty evens stevens.

A good shot by Timmy in the 53rd minutes. Though from a distance, it still troubled the opposing keeper a little. In the 67th minute, the Everton fans shuddered at the thought that Everton has given away a penalty. Jag tried to clear the ball and was somehow impeded by the opposing striker. It was really a 50-50 call for penalty.

Saha replaced by Rodwell in the 69th minute.

Everton are being stretched by the Man Utd youngsters. Everton needs to bring in pace - Vaughny. Man Utd are holding Everton well and it means that the Toffees are burning off their energy. Somehow, the blues look second best even though the players Moyes put out are all first XI. The score still remains 0-0 at full time, and now it'll move to extra time.

The start of the extra time saw Timmy smashing the ball towards goal but was saved by the legs of the opposing keeper. Man Utd is just pulling Everton from left to right. Vaughny really needs to come in. The game is fast going into a walking pace.

Felli is replaced by Vaughny.

Second half of the extra time, Bainsey put in a lovely cross into the penalty box the final touch by Vaughny wasdeflected wide. Ossie came close as well after Rodwell made a nice pass from the left channel. Pienaar has run his lungs out and he'd been tackled all over the park.

Will the match move into penalties? Oh boy, another mistake by Man U keeper. A good block by Vaughny and the keeper chased and pushed Bainsey off the ball resulting in a free kick, but it amounted to nothing. Into the penalties we go.

Timmy - Miss! Everton 0-0 Man U
Howard - Saved! Everton 0-0 Man U
Bainsey - Scored! Everton 1-0 Man U
Howard - Saved! Everton 1-0 Man U
Neville - Scored! Everton 2-0 Man U
Howard - Failed! Everton 2-1 Man U
Vaughny - Scored! Everton 3-1 Man U
Howard - Scored! Everton 3-2 Man U
Jag - Scored! Everton 4-2 Man U!!!!!!!!!!

Everton's through!!!!!!! Such a difficult match! After 14 long years!

Actim Players Ranking: 140409

Everton players in the Top 100.

Lescott: 15th (412) - Third best defender (6/1), (13/1), (14/4), Fourth (20/1), (24/3), (7/4), Fifth (3/2), (17/3) - Best position: 15th
Howard: 23rd (389) - Fifth best goalkeeper (6/1), (13/1), (7/4) - Best position: 23rd
Fellaini: 31st (369) - Best position: 31st
Arteta: 32nd (368) - Third best midfielder (10/2), (17/2), (24/2), (3/3), (10/3), Fourth (16/9), (13/1), (3/2), Fifth (2/12), (9/12), (15/12), (23/12), (20/1), (17/3) - Best position: 6th
Jag: 38th (354) - Best position: 38th
Neville: 39th (354) - Best position: 35th
Timmy: 40th (353) - Best position: 38th
Ossie: 60th (323) - Best position: 50th
Baines: 69th (305) - Best position: 69th


Previous Top 100.
Yakubu: 86th (133) - Fifth best striker (23/9) - Best position: 9th
Yobo: 84th (168) - Best position: 76th

ASTON VILLA (3) v (3) EVERTON - FULL TIME

Villa's Barry scores the equaliser
Photo courtesy of www.evertonfc.com

Everton started with a largely unchanged side with Jo leading the strike once again. The first 10 minutes see Everton soaking in the pressure but Villa have still not really threatened. A great thunder strike by Neville in the 16th minute but was palmed away by the opposing goalkeeper. The subsequent corner was cleared away.

In the 18th minute, Bainsey made a good pass to Jo in the penalty box but the opposing defence, could only clear as far as where Bainsey stood on the left channel. The defender then curled in a nice ball for Felli to tap in the ball. Villa 0-1 Everton.

In the 22nd minute Jo moved the ball into the final third before releasing the ball to Timmy on the left channel who slid the ball towards goal but was . Goal!!! Timmy scored from the corner. From the corner, Timmy got to the ball first but it bounced off the post. It was Timmy once again who went in for a rebound. Villa 0-2 Everton.

Villa strikes back in the 32nd minute. This time Everton defence were in their sixes and sevens. Villa 1-2 Everton. The Toffees have been stung by that goal. Hopefully, they do not go into their shells. Villa are just throwing in the crosses and the long balls for all their big players up front. Half time prove a good reprieve for Everton.

In the 50th minute, a juicy pass from Neville to Pienaar who was given space to shoot from outside the box. Goal! Villa 1-3 Everton. But soon after, Villa pulled a goal back in the 55th minute. Villa 2-3 Everton. I believe Everton needs to bring in Saha soon to stretch the opposition and maybe take Hibbo out as he's on a yellow card.

Villa is applying much pressure on Everton and it's pretty nerve wrecking! Howard is not handling the crosses well enough. It'll be a long 30 minutes. Hibbo is replaced by Jacobsen. Lescott tried to clear the ball but with the Villan player sticking his head in, the referee surprisingly awarded a penalty. Why? How? Villa scored. Villa 3-3 Everton. We need Saha!

It was dive after dive by Ashley Young! What load of crap from this player! Jo is replaced by Saha.

No point saying that Everton should have won. The last penalty did not help but at least Everton picked up a point away from home. Sigh.

Score: Villa 3 - 3 Everton
Scorer: Felli, Timmy, Pienaar
Assists: Bainsey, Neville
Subs: Jacobsen, Saha

Actim Players Ranking: 070409

Everton players in the Top 100.

Lescott: 17th (401) - Third best defender (6/1), (13/1), Fourth (20/1), (24/3), (7/4), Fifth (3/2), (17/3) - Best position: 15th
Howard: 24th (378) - Fifth best goalkeeper (6/1), (13/1), (7/4) - Best position: 26th
Arteta: 28th (381) - Third best midfielder (10/2), (17/2), (24/2), (3/3), (10/3), Fourth (16/9), (13/1), (3/2), Fifth (2/12), (9/12), (15/12), (23/12), (20/1), (17/3) - Best position: 6th
Jag: 35th (348) - Best position: 38th
Fellaini: 36th (343) - Best position: 36th
Neville: 42nd (335) - Best position: 35th
Timmy: 43rd (332) - Best position: 38th
Ossie: 60th (316) - Best position: 50th
Baines: 76th (292) - Best position: 76th

Previous Top 100.

Yakubu: 86th (133) - Fifth best striker (23/9) - Best position: 9th
Yobo: 84th (168) - Best position: 76th

EVERTON (4) vs (0) WIGAN - FULL TIME

Jo scores Everton's first goal
Photo courtesy of www.evertonfc.com

Cahill is back in the first XI and this team looks to be the most complete in terms of shape and form. For the first 10 minutes, Everton had the impetus but failed to put their good ball control into any advantage.

Wigan is doing well on the counter and had put the ball just wide of the Toffee's goal in the 16th minute. Everton look pretty weak in the final third. But a sudden turn and Everton is in the lead. It started with Howard passing the ball to Lescott who put in a long ball. Felli chested the ball, and passed it to Ossie. The latter saw a gap on the left and put in a precise pass to Jo who banged the ball in from the left channel in the 25th minute. Everton 1-0 Wigan.

Quite an even fight but Everton took their one chance well and thus derservingly are ahead at half time.

In the second half, Wigan started their game with much gusto but still fell behind by another goal. In the 46th minute, Neville took a throw-in on the right channel and that started a one-two with Ossie. Neville then put in a crisp cross for Felli to tap the ball past the opposing goalkeeper. Everton 2-0 Wigan.

The Toffees are in ascension now as they continue to dictate the scheme of things and soon, Everton was 3-0 up. In the 50th minute, Pienaar, Ossie and Felli put in some good passes among themselves before Felli struck the ball towards goal. The goalkeeper saved it but it went only as far as Jo who put in a simple tap-in. Everton 3-0 Wigan.

Everton was not done yet. In the 60th minute, Felli took a long pot shot way outside the 6th yard box. The opposing goalkeeper could only palm the ball towards Ossie who made the simplest of all tap-ins. Everton 4-0 Wigan.

With three points in th bag, Moyes made the three substitutions in quick succession. Rodwell, Gosling and Saha came in for Cahill, Pienaar and Felli.

Everton takes all three points and has closed in on Aston Villa. Next week's game against them might be the decider as to who will take fifth position.

Score: Everton 4-0 Wigan
Scorer: Jo (2), Felli, Ossie
Assists: Ossie, Neville, Felli (2)
Subs: Rodwell, Gosling, Saha