NORWICH 4-2 EVERTON - FULL TIME

Score: Norwich 2-4 Everton
Scorer: Timmy 3, Bil 1
Assists: Coleman, Pienaar, Neville

BRISBANE ROAR 1-2 EVERTON - FULL TIME

Writing this report reminds me of the time when we could only catch the English Premier League though BBC. There was no cable channel. Well, the three matches that were played in Australia made me felt this way once again but still it was much better than in the past. The only way of getting the score is through the internet and how I catch the goals are when some good souls actually upload the news on Youtube.



Ok, back to why I'm writing this.

Everton made it a three-out-of-three-wins by beating Brisbane Roar 2-1. Rodwell, who have started playing in a more advanced role behind the strikers, scored an exquisite goal in the 49th minute. Trapping the ball just outside six yard box, Rodwell thumped the ball well beyond the keeper. Superb goal.

Brisbane drew parity in the 66th minute with a goal coming from a pretty tight angle. But Everton replied. Young Baxter made picked up the ball on the right channel and made a low cross into the penalty box. None of the Brisbane players could clear the ball, and neither could the opposing keeper get to the ball. Everton's latest recruit Gueye was there to slip the ball into the net.

Two great goal and truly, Everton should look ahead for a tremendously good start to its Premiership games.

Score: Brisbane 1-2 Everton
Scorers: Rodwell, Gueye
Assists: Bily, Baxter
Subs: Baxter, Anichebe, Gueye, Vaughany

MELBOURNE 0-2 EVERTON - FULL TIME

Two win in two games. Guess these are not too difficult to win. But what is interesting is that Everton players who were involved in the World Cup are not back in the team.

One other thing I was just reading about, Everton has no money to buy players. Oh boy. They must be starting to regret not hooking Gosling to a contract. Four million pounds.

Anyway, back to the second friendly that Everton played against Melbourne. New players Gueye started the game while young Coleman in defence. Talking about Coleman, he is the man with a mission and looks to be a natural replacement for Hibbo, who have been in and out of the team through injuries.

Coleman ran all the way into the penalty area in the 2nd minute and was tripped in the box but Saha squandered the penalty. Guess the team was still warming up? But Coleman of all person, had been threathening all night. His overlap play and cross in the 34th minute was met by Rodwell who scored his first goal of the season. Melbourne 0-1 Everton. Assist Coleman.

In the second half, wholesale changes were made. New players Beckford and Silva came on, together with Neville, Timmy, Baxter, Jutkiewicz and Mustafi.

The second goal came courtesy of Saha who blasted in the ball from distance.



Score: Melbourne Heart 0-2 Everton
Scorers: Rodwell, Saha
Assist: Coleman
Subs: Beckford, Silva, Neville, Timmy, Baxter,Jutkiewicz and Mustafi.

SYDNEY FC 0-1 EVERTON - FULL TIME

Usually games like these are not broadcast to the world. So far, 40,000 Aussie spectators and a handful of online viewers caught Everton's match against Sydney.

In this game, there was no Howard, Neville, Yobo and Yak. In came the likes of goalkeeping deputy, Turner while the rest of the team are pretty much the regular players. It's also good to see Vaughany playing again after series of injuries.



Here're the highlights that I've picked up from an Australian news broadcast.

In the 5th minute, a Bainesey MISTAKE nearly cost Everton a goal. A blind pass saw the opponent picking up the ball and rifling in a long shot, only to be caught by Turner. Bainesy, Bainesy, Bainesy.

A minute later, Vaughany pacey run took him pass two defenders, but his final shot was too weak and did not trouble the opposing goalkeeper one tiny bit.

In the second half, crowd fav Timmy came on to substitute Vaughany, while newcomer Gueye took the place of Rodwell. Soon after, Everton was a goal up. A clean pass from Arteta to Bainesy who then placed the ball squarely into the box.

Anichebe still had much to do. He trapped the ball, swiveled his body, pushed the ball forward and then smashed it into the top corner of Syndey FC's net. Well taken goal.

After that, Saha and young Baxter were given a chance to have a go against the Australian club. A good outing for the boys in blue (Or actually in pink!)

Score: Sydney FC 0-1 Everton
Scorer: Anichebe
Assist: Bainesy
Subs: Timmy, Gueye, Baxter, Saha

Three Strikes!!!

Everton seems to be building for the future with their current purchase. The Toffees first brought in high media profile - Jermaine Beckford from Leeds. Untested in the top league but no money exchanged whatsoever, this might just be the best move in Moyes's history if everything turns out well.

Everton then brought in a second striker in Joao Silva. Young but unproven striker who might just be loaned out to allow the player to gain experience. The latest is the third striker - Magaye Gueye from France. He is also for the future.

Finally, Slovakian first choice goalkeeper has join the ranks, thus offering Howard a pretty stiff competition.

Can't wait to see who else is Moyes recruiting/ releasing. Well, July/Aug will prove to be interesting.

World Cup Updates

So the dust has largely settled, and the boys have been separated from the men. Everton had six players who made it to the largest fottball stage, the World Cup. Now, there're only eight teams left in the competition.

South Africa's Pienaar, Australia's Timmy, Nigeria's Yak and Yobo, all did not make it through to the second round. USA's Howard put in a pretty good show to propel the North American team into the final 16. They were top of Group C, pipping England to that spot. Still, they lost 2-1 to Ghana in the final 16 match.

Crazily as it sounds, I'm happy that players such as Pienaar and Yak had a pretty unsuccessful World Cup, but this means that they will not be asking for sky high salaries that comes together with their inflated egos.

So far, Heitinga the inflated ego man (With his silly comments about wanting to join a bigger club) is the only Everton representative in the World Cup. So yea, hope Netherland loses too. Then the players will all be back for training early. No World Cup hand-overs.

Interestingly, new signing Jan Mucha was playing for Slovakia. They were eliminated by The Netherlands. So let's see if finally, all Everton players are out of the World Cup. I hope that will happen.