COLUMNIST KEN BUCKLEY
From my seat: Bolton (A)
Comments (28) : Bolton started like a wounded animal and went for us from the off, penning us back as they sought an early goal. Yet after ten minutes a superbly weighted ball from Pienaar allowed AJ to just nick around his man and his sheer pace took him clear and also gave him the time to look up and see the Yak taking up the ideal strike partner position and AJ obliged by directing his pass to the big man's feet to tap in. "That should quieten them," I thought, but no, they came back hell for leather and in the main sustained it until half-time.
In that period, Yobo and Lescott defended manfully, Tim Howard threw himself about to good effect but was helpless when Alonso the elder fired in a rocket that hit the bar and if it had have found the net it would have been an early contender for goal of the month/season. We did manage the odd breakout and Pienaar looked both speedy and quick footed while AJ and the Yak promised some good things to come. For me it was a relief to get to half-time still 1-0 to the good.
During the half-time break, my thoughts were that the back four looked good, as did the front two but how I wished we had managed to secure a mid-field general in the window. The second half began as I expected, Bolton going for the throat.
I thought "We need a good twenty minutes here and then maybe we can push a bit." Alas, we only got ten when, from a routine cross, Lescott and Jags went for the same header and thus got no distance, the ball fell well for Anelka who hit a thunderous volley beyond Howard. It seemed all Bolton now and I am sure I was not the only one hoping we might get a point. As well as we doggedly defended, the ball kept coming back at us.
Then, around the hour mark, Tommy was introduced for Carsley. Tommy started to demand the ball and without being spectacular I sensed a change in proceedings. We were actually holding the ball in midfield and slowly, joined-up football ? from back through midfield to strikers ? was starting to happen. This resulted in an even better game as we attacked them more and it became an end-to-end thriller.
Around 70 mins and Ossie was introduced for Pienaar while the out-of-sorts Arteta was sent wide right with Ossie tucked in on the left. Immediately it seemed Ossie wanted to take a leaf out of the Grav's creativity book and my spirits lifted again as the joined-up stuff we were now playing had me baying for a winner. This approach brought very good chances for AJ and Ossie to wrap it up for us but both were scuffers rather than clinicians. The manager moved Neville to right back and Jags was given the holding roll; we looked better still.
Tommy was booked for a foul that seemed to come from Madrid's training ground and the Spaniard Alonso had Howard scrambling as the clock ticked. Eighty nine minutes and we get a corner, Tommy took charge and delivered a tremendous in-swinging delivery which for once missed out the front post men and found Lescott leaping at the back stick with two Bolton defenders and it was the Blues man's head that connected. 2-1 Oh happy day!
Overall, I thought it was a game to remember, not just for the win but also for some of the issues it threw up as it unfolded. I thought Tommy proved conclusivly that a central midfield general is the key to knitting the players we already have into a pretty good unit and ensuring much more of the joined-up stuff and less of the endless channel stream.
Whatever people think of Tommy, I think he will prove to be very good business in the short term. I thought both Jags and Neville looked much more accomplished and of greater benefit to the team in their finishing positions rather than their starting ones. I will reserve judgement on Pienaar and Yak until they have more games under their belts... could be promising.
The window is now closed, will we have enough to sustain us on all fronts? My bet is we will need to look to midfield come January window. A great game today though; we could easily have lost but to win in the last minute made the homeward journey a cavalcade of cars festooned in Blue.
My MotM was Joe Yobo ? Resolute! Man Utd next in a daft'o'clock kick off. Hope the manager hits on the right line-up. UP THE BLUES
Reader Comments
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This was particularly the case with Bolton’s goal. Anelka was lurking completely unmarked within shooting range while Baines the nearest Everton man was marking space.
I am merely suggesting that, when called for, criticsm should be balanced and without favouritism.
Pienaar done well although at first he looked very lightweight but soon proved he had something in him; strong on the ball, good vision and passing. Time will tell.
My ideal combination for Neville is to stay in the right back role pushing Jagielka into the midfield holding role (now linked to be going to Sheff Unt on loan?).
To be fair to Bolton they played well and yesterdays score could of been a hell of a lot different; they will find form in a few weeks and I am glad we played them now and stole all the points.
Well done to the Everton away fans who were superb.
The worst part of our display was midfield. It is simple, Carsley and Neville cannot partner earch other. Both players practically play as defenders, so every time we attack there are no options. I remember a couple of occasions when pienaar put a ball in which would be perfect for a midfielder attacking but both were miles away and we lost posession. Thew introduction of Tommy G changed the game, gave Yak and AJ support and actually resulted in a patient passing style game which nearly resulted in the winner (Ossie had the best chance of the game and that resulted in some exellent passing and movement, our best bit od football of the match/season?)
All in all, Yak looked promising, AJ improved and with a goal he will improve greater. Having two strikers really does improve our team. Pienaar looks good, quick, intelligent play however needs to get used to the prem. He also suffered from lack of midfield support and ended up searching for ball, as did Arteta. Tommy G played well, but simply because he wasn’t Carsley. His addition will add the craft we need temporalily.
Defence looks slid, however these momentary lapses need to be sorted out, 1 clean sheet in 13 games is not good enough.
to suggest baines was at fault for the bolton goal is total lunacy and stupidity....
yobo ignored the shout from jaggs, and the resulting clash of headers only cleared the ball 8 yards instead of 15... you cant stop every cross coming in during a game of football, but what you can stop is a mix up of leaving a ball when another blue shirt has made the call...
binning Hibbert and Naysmith is the best think that Moyes has done since he arrived..
given time, Baines will be his best ever signing, so watch the game properly next time, instead of looking at the players nice legs and bums..!
Tony G, any mix up between Jelks and Yobo does not hide the fact that on Baines side of the penalty area Anelka was not even covered let alone marked.
Trouble is, the full back role is such a complex position as the decision to go and support and stay to provide cover is always a fine line. Not having a pop at you dick, but baines is a class act, and does not need uninformed arl arses in the stand berrating him for not being up/down the flank, or out of position when frankly they know nothing about it...!!
Last thing we wanna do is ruin this lad's natural confidence in bombing up fornt to support when the mood takes him. Great crosses are delivered when the full back draws a defender on dummy overlaps, or indeed crosses himself... so let's give the lad some credit eh!
And to slag Baines off!
Cant you say something positive like he's the best left back we?ve had in my lifetime! 30years.
It looked very dark blue - bluer than their normal home strip.
That?s out home kit.
I?m not sorry to harp on about baines position for bolton goal, as its important to note, the lad wasn?t at fault.
As an ex professional full back, i was taught starting positions and positional play during open play crosses, and the lad has done exactly what you should do.. its common practise to move your back 4 nearer the crossing flank, thus closing the distance between defenders. To blame Baines for yobo and jaggs heading the same ball is total ignorance of the art of defending crosses.
I believe we should be talking about the positives of the performance and what an amazing turnaround it has been from 5 years ago. Moyes has nearly cleared the "dead wood" of the squad, and the final phaze was done in the summer when pistone, wright and naysmith left.
I could repeat other people?s mutterings that our signings have been superb, but im sure all evertonians know that the future is looking very blue!
Man utd is a massive game for both sides. For Everton, its our first test of the season against the "big 4". For united its a game they won?t want to lose. You need passion and quality to beat united, and currently, we have both in abundance!
COYB!
1) Touch - way better than cars
2) Vision - He can see a pass that most cant.
3) Passing ability - he can pass long or short, hit the diagonal or round the corner.
4) Space - he can find it.
5) Energy - he can motivate others and bring the best out of them.
6) He is NUTS, and he upsets and desturbs the opposition.
What he is not:
1) Defensive - he cant tackle for toffee.
2) DEFENSIVE - HE CANT TACKLE.
He is younger than Cars, but then so is gran. At 31 he still has a good engine, and can do a job for us this season and maybe next if we buy him.
Tim Cahill is an attacking midfielder, he will make runs into the box, draw away defenders, and can pass creativly, altho in a different way to Arteta. He will score goals, and with the Yak and AJ makes a potent attacking player.
We do need a replacement to Gravo, I would like to see one come in January, although they probably wont be able to play in Europe this season. I would like to see someone like Carrick who is fighting for a place at Manure with Hargreves, but I doubt we will get him.
I think our best team is Howard, Nev, Yobo, Lescott, Baines, Osey (or Pinnar), Gravo, Jaggs, Yak, AJ.
With Cahill comming back I see him swapping with gravo ot Jags (most likley Gravo) depending on how attacking we need to be.
The fella is well capable of holding his own in our squad, and regardless of his attitude/committment etc at his last club, he should be judged on his current and future form at everton.
Besides if attitude and committment at a former club was a key factor or yardstick whether to sign a player, then Yakubu would never have been been bought..!
First of all, super result. Bolton is the kind of tough place you go, hoping for a point. But I think it might take Evertonians some time to come to terms that whereas we might have hoped for a point back in the day, we now go to places like this looking for - and expecting - 3 points. We?ve changed a lot. Moyes is a superb manager who has bought brilliantly (apart from one or two busts like Kroldrup and Beattie - but what manager doesn?t have a few dodgy signings?)
GREAT to see Hibbert out the squad. Nothing against the lad personally, but he?s useless. No style, no awareness. With Jags and Tommy brought in (and Tommy won?t be there long before we bring in another midfielder), I think his days are numbered.
A good team selection by Moyes. Surely, this is the way forward from now on. Neville in at RB, Jags in centre-mid, with Tommy and Carsley vying for the other centre-mid slot. Arteta, Ossie, Pienaar and Cahill (when he returns) rounds out a strong group, with Faddy there, too.
Well done, boys - keep it up!
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1 Posted 02/09/2007 at 00:21:39
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Thomas Gravesen took the game by the scruff of the neck. His passsing will be vital and I think if fit he should start against Man utd.